Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has stepped into a row with Algeria, vowing¹ he will not tolerate the "humiliation²" of Egyptian nationals abroad.

埃及总统侯塞尼·穆巴拉克介入与阿尔及利亚的足球纠纷，声称他不会容忍国外埃及侨民所受的“耻辱”。

President Mubarak said Egypt does not tolerate attacks on its dignity

The dispute was triggered by violence following football World Cup qualifying matches between the two north African Arab nations.

Algeria won the crucial play-off, but each side has accused the other's fans of attacking their supporters.

The governing body of world football, Fifa, is investigating the violence.

The BBC's Yolande Knell³ in Cairo says in a country where political demonstrations⁵ are usually heavily suppressed（镇压，禁止） this is an unusual sight and a further sign of how strained（紧张的） Egypt's relationship with Algeria has now become.

In the televised statement to a joint⁶ session of parliament, President Mubarak said his country will not be lax（松懈的） in defending the rights and integrity（诚实，正直） of its citizens.

"Egypt does not tolerate those who hurt the dignity of its sons," he said.

Although he did not mention Algeria by name, our correspondent says it was clear he was referring to the row that has occurred following violence that spilled over following the matches on 14 and 18 November.

Mr Mubarak said: "We don't want to be drawn⁷ into impulsive⁸（冲动的，任性的） reactions. I am agitated⁹ too, but I restrain myself."

Algeria has demanded that Egypt stop what it describes as "a media campaign" against it following the violence.

On Friday, riot police had to quell¹⁰（镇压） a violent demonstration⁴ near the Algerian embassy in Cairo. Egypt's interior ministry¹¹ said 35 people were injured.

A day earlier, around 1,000 Egyptians burned Algerian flags in a street near the Algerian embassy.

Algeria beat Egypt 1-0 in a play-off in Sudan on Wednesday.

Threat to quit

Protesters were incensed¹² by reports that Egyptian fans at the match had been attacked as they left the stadium.

Egypt has threatened to quit international football for two years after complaining to Fifa about Algerian fans' behaviour in Khartoum.

If Egypt does not go through with its threat, there is a chance the teams could meet again in less than three months, in the Cup of African Nations, hosted by Angola.

The two teams were drawn in different groups at Friday's ceremony but could meet each other in the later stages.

Egypt's foreign ministry had summoned（召唤，召集） the Algerian ambassador to hear complaints about reports of attacks on Egyptian fans in Khartoum and on Egyptian businesses in Algeria.

The Egyptian ambassador in Algiers was than recalled "for consultations（咨询，商议）".

Sudan has also summoned the Egyptian envoy¹³ in Khartoum, angry at Egyptian media coverage¹⁴ of the game's aftermath.

The Egyptian government alleges¹⁵ 21 of its citizens were attacked after the match, but Sudan says far fewer were injured.

The teams needed the play-off in a neutral country（中立国） to decide on qualification after the final group match between them on Saturday saw Egypt win 2-0, meaning the two teams finished tied at the top of the group with equal points and identical（相同的，同一的） goal difference.

Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings¹⁶ against Egypt after the Algerian team bus was pelted¹⁷（投掷，攻击） with stones before the 14 November match in Cairo.

Three Algerian players were injured by rocks thrown as they arrived.