The army has begun a countdown in Egypt to avoid a “dark tunnel”, giving the government of President Mohammed Morsi a week to come to some accord with the opposition, before 30 June protests aimed at forcing out the president.

Egypt’s army has tried to stay out of politics, but says it has a “moral responsibility” to prevent strife and protect “the will of the people”.

Defense Minister General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also gave a thinly veiled warning to Morsi’s Islamist supporters to refrain from physical attacks on the largely secular and liberal protesters.  Morsi’s office skipped over that warning in a statement announcing the meeting with al-Sisi, saying it was a meeting to discuss the “domestic scene and the government's efforts to maintain the security of the nation and the safety of its citizens.”

The opposition says Morsi has squandered his electoral mandate with heavy-handed attempts to control the judiciary and to consolidate power, and has broken promises to seek consensus.