US defence secy called Egyptian army chief: Pentagon

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke on the telephone to his Egyptian counterpart after the army issued an ultimatum for Egypt's embattled president to meet the demands of his people, the Pentagon said today.
Pentagon spokesman George Little offered no details about Hagel's conversation yesterday with army chief and defence minister General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
But Little told reporters the US has conveyed to Egyptian leaders that Washington supports "the democratic process" and does not back any particular side in the unfolding political crisis.
With crowds pouring onto the street to demand Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi's resignation, Hagel's conversation followed a previously undisclosed phone call with Sisi late last week, Little said.

Sked why the Pentagon had not publicly announced last week's phone call until today, Little cited the "sensitivities of this situation".
The Egyptian military issued a 48-hour deadline on Monday for Morsi to meet the "people's demands", a day after millions of protesters took to the streets across the country calling for him to resign.

The US brass has long-standing ties with Egypt's armed forces after decades of American military assistance and officials say the relationship helped pave the way for the peaceful end of ex-president Hosni Mubarak's rule in 2011.
After days of street clashes that have claimed nearly 50 people, the Pentagon had not been ordered to provide any emergency military support to US diplomats posted in Cairo, he said.

President Barack Obama has proposed providing USD 1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt in fiscal year 2014.