Egypt's Morsi says he won't step down to protect democratic 'legitimacy' with his life

CAIRO - The Associated Press / Reuters

This image made from video broadcast on Egyptian State Television shows President Mohamed Morsi addressing the nation in a televised speech on July 2. AP photo

Egypt's embattled president says he will not step down as demanded by millions of protesters, vowing to protect his "constitutional legitimacy" with his life.

Addressing the nation in a 40 minutes speech carried live on state television late July 2, President Mohamed Morsi accused loyalists of his predecessor Hosni Mubarak of riding the current wave of protests to topple his regime.

"There is no substitute for legitimacy," said Morsi, who has received an ultimatum from the military to work out his differences with the opposition by July 3 or it will intervene to oversee the implementation of its own political road map.

In a response to the ultimatum to share power with his opponents, he said he had tried such dialogue before and had been unsuccessful. But he insisted he would continue fulfilling the duties to which he had been democratically elected.

Morsi also conceded his first year in office had been difficult and he faced challenges from corrupt remnants of the old regime.