n a sign of the government's growing confidence that it may ride out the continued street demonstrations, Ahmed Shafiq said protesters had failed in their objective of forcing Mr Mubarak from office on Friday and had now changed their slogan from "day of departure" to a "week of steadfastness".
"All this leads to stability," he said in a televised press conference, ahead of talks with leaders of the anti-government protests intended to discuss a transition to more democratic rule.
His remarks suggested that the government may be digging in its heels over continued pressure on the 82-year-old Mr Mubarak to resign from office swiftly, to make way for a new interim president before elections which are due in September.
Protesters have refused to end their mass rallies in downtown Tahrir Square until Mubarak quits. But even as tens of thousands gathered again to wave flags and chant, there were signs that the government was attempting to return the country to normality.
State television announced that banks and courts, closed for most of the turmoil, will reopen on Sunday, the start of Egypt's working week, though daily bank withdrawals will be limited to $15,000 and the stock market will remain shut for at least another day.
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