President Hosni Mubarak said on Sunday he rejected any foreign attempt to exploit a shooting of six Copts in Upper Egypt early this month to intervene in Egyptian affairs. "Any clash between Muslims and Christians assumes a sectarian turn that could fuel sedition in our country and leaves the door open for foreigners to intervene in our affairs," Mubarak said in a speech marking the Police Day. "This is completely rejected. I warn as a president of all Egyptians that any bid to create a rift between Egyptian Muslims and Christians will be firmly confronted," the president said. Six Copts and a Muslim guard were killed in a drive-by hooting in the southern Egyptian city of Naga Hammadi on the Christmas Eve by three Muslim assailants who were arrested and referred to an emergency trial. "I will not be tolerant towards any one who tries to jeopardise Egypt's national security, which is my first responsibility," Mubarak said on a stern tone. He added that the police and law would stand against those who threatened the "security and unity of Egyptians". The European Parliament adopted a resolution last week expressing concern over the Naga Hammadi attack, calling on the Egyptian Government to ensure the safety and physical integrity of Coptic Christians. Egypt's Parliament slammed the resolution as an unacceptable infringement of Egypt's sovereignty, describing the incident as an isolated crime that had nothing to do with sectarianism. "Any clash between Muslims and Christians could be described as sectarian. We cannot turn a blind eye to this," Mubarak said. The president lauded the police's role in tracking down and arresting the suspects involved in the attack in Naga Hammadi on January 6. Coptic Christians comprise approximately 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million population. Meanwhile, Mubarak defended steps to increase security along the eastern border with the Gaza Strip that have drawn criticism. "Fortifications along our eastern border are a work of Egyptian sovereignty, and we refuse to enter into a debate with anyone (about them)," he said. Mubarak noted Egypt's efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and to reconcile rival Palestinian factions, in defending the country's policy on Israel against 'Arab and regional' critics who he said 'trade in and exploit the Palestinian cause and the suffering of the Palestinian people'. "Egypt rejects this pressure and blackmail, and will not allow chaos on its borders, or terrorism and sabotage in its territory," he said.
