Anti-government protestors wave Egyptian flags in Tahrir Square
(Credit: AP)

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi rejected the Egyptian military’s ultimatum to reconcile differences with anti-government protestors or face an overthrow. Morsi claimed to be working on his own plan to negotiate with the opposition, though so far he has offered no concessions. Murad Ali, a spokesman for Morsi’s Freedom and Justice Party told Reuters, “Egyptians are very aware that there are some people that are trying to push the country back in history and back to dictatorship.” Morsi has only been in office for a year.

Anti-government protestors again filled Tahrir Square in Cairo and staged sit-ins in front of two presidential palaces on Tuesday, marking the third day of occasionally violent protests. For the first time since the demonstrations began, the Nour party, Egypts largest ultraconservative Islamist group, called for early presidential elections and the installation of a caretaker government. Meanwhile, pro-Morsi marchers were chased and beaten in a Cairo neighborhood that was once a Morsi stronghold.

The June 30 Group, the umbrella opposition group, has named opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei as its spokesman in possible talks with the military.