CAIRO, July 1 (Reuters) - Egypt's main opposition bloc said on Monday an army statement which gave feuding politicians 48 hours to compromise did not reflect a desire by the military to take power.

The ultimatum, which said the army would impose its own road map if the government and opposition failed to resolve the country's political crisis, showed that the army respected the "principles of democracy and the will of the nation as a source of power", the National Salvation Front said in a statement.

The group of liberals and leftists, which counts Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei among its leaders, called on Egyptians to continue peaceful protests across the country. (Reporting by Yasmine Saleh; Writing by Alexander Dziadosz; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)