"The time of foreign adventures is over," says Egyptian president.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFmubarak 88(photo credit: )
President Hosni Mubarak has ruled out Egypt's military involvement in the ongoing Israel-Hizbullah fighting in Lebanon.
"The time of foreign adventures is over," Mubarak was quoted as saying in a government newspaper published Wednesday.
"It is not its (Egypt's) war," Mubarak told al-Gomhouria daily, adding that Egypt had too many social problems at home.
The president also said that Israel would not attack Egypt "under any circumstances."
Mubarak did not comment on whether Egypt would provide troops if a new international peacekeeping force was deployed on the Israel-Lebanon border
The president spoke to reporters during his return to Egypt from Saudi Arabia where he met King Abdullah on Tuesday. Both men again called for an immediate cease-fire.
Mubarak responded in his latest comments to calls in Egypt to send troops to Lebanon.
"This was possible at a time when the Egyptian population was 24 million only, but it is not possible now with 75 million citizens in need of development, services, job opportunities and residential projects," Mubarak said.
It was important he said to avoid "vain adventures" which would cost the Egyptian people "a lot."
His remarks come after a week of street demonstrations across Arab capitals calling for a military response to Israel.
Mubarak dismissed as "baseless" claims that Egypt had agreed to press Hizbullah to compromise in return for Washington agreeing to stop pressing Cairo for broader democratic reforms.
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