PARIS: President Hosni Mubarak said in Paris on Friday that he fears the consequences of the Lebanese opposition protests, calling them unreasonable and warning they could split the nation apart. The President was in the French capital to inaugurate a major exhibition of ancient Egyptian artifacts from underwater excavations and was to hold a working lunch with French President Jacques Chirac. Tensions in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as the expulsion this week of eight French terror suspects detained by Egyptian authorities, were expected to top the leaders agenda. Speaking on France-3 television, the President said the Lebanese protests were not reasonable and urged negotiations between the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah protesters. I fear the consequences, the President said. There is also the risk of foreign interference in these protests. That could result in very serious confrontations and even lead to the destruction of Lebanon. Street demonstrations that started a week ago by Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian parties are aimed at pressuring Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to quit in a deepening political crisis. The crisis also has taken dangerous sectarian overtones. In his speech at the exhibit inauguration, Chirac praised Mubarak, saying the Egyptian president had made the choice for reforms with determination. Following my visit to your country last April, I am convinced that Egypt is on the road to a dynamic and modern future, Chirac said. Chirac and Mubarak, who have had close ties for over two decades, meet regularly. They last met in Egypt in April. Friday s meeting coincided with the arrival in France of eight Frenchmen expelled along with two Belgians on a charter flight for Brussels Thursday. Egyptian authorities arrested the suspects - as well as another Frenchman, an American, and an unknown number of Egyptians and Arabs from other countries - late last month.The suspects were allegedly living in Egypt under the guise of studying Arabic and Islamic studies and had formed a militant cell that was plotting attacks, Egyptian officials said. The French suspects were brought from Brussels to Paris by car. Upon their arrival early Friday morning, the Paris police s anti-terrorist division immediately took the men into custody for questioning. Under French law, they can be held without charges for up to four days. AP
