Cairo, March 4 (IANS): Egypt's army chief and Defence Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi Tuesday said he cannot turn his back to calls by the majority of people asking him to run for president, media reported.

"The coming days will witness the official procedures of candidacy," said Sisi during a ceremony marking the end of a basic military training for students of the armed forces schools and institutes.

The nation was going through difficult circumstances which require the unity of the people, army and police, he said adding that "no one could alone help the country in such conditions", Xinhua reported citing official news agency MENA.

Experts said Sisi was waiting for the presidential law to be approved before announcing his official presidential bid.

Sisi has remained as defence minister in the new interim cabinet, and if he decides to run for president he should resign from his military posts and apply as a civilian, according to the constitution.