Mubarak says opposes boycotts, using army abroad

CAIRO, Aug 7 (Reuters) Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said today he was against boycotts and would not be provoked into deploying the Egyptian army outside Egypt.

Mubarak was speaking to members of his National Democratic Party about the nearly four-week conflict between Israel and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah after Egyptian opposition groups called for tough action against Israel.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon have enflamed Egyptian public opinion, driving some Islamist and leftist opposition forces to call for the Israeli ambassador to be thrown out or for economic measures to be taken against Israel and its allies, such as the United States.

But Mubarak, quoted by party secretary general Safwat el-Sharif, said: ''Boycotts have negative effects on the economy of any country. There is no unilateral boycott. It will be met with a boycott from the other side, which will affect the economy and investment.'' ''We should absorb the lessons of history and no one can claim to have done more than Egypt, which sacrificed 100,000 martyrs and fought wars to defend its territory and the honour of the Arab nation,'' he added.

''The army of Egypt is strong to defend its territory and soil, and Egypt will not be provoked into any military operations outside its territory,'' he said.

Egypt fought four wars with the Israelis, in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, at great cost to its economic development.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country and the first to make peace with Israel, has already ruled out contributing troops to a proposed peacekeeping force in south Lebanon.

The Egyptian government cannot run the risk that it might be seen as defending Israel from Hizbollah, diplomats said.

Reuters MQA RN2139