Mubarak remains in Paris for medical tests

CAIRO [MENL] -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has spent eight days in Paris for medical tests, has extended his stay in France.

Sources said they did not know why Mubarak was extending his visit or for how long. Officials had said Mubarak traveled to Paris in the wake of an ear infection.

Egyptian officials on Wednesday acknowledged that Mubarak will continue to undergo medical tests. But they would not elaborate.

Opposition sources said the 71-year-old president appears to have a serious ailment. They repeated reports first voiced six months ago that Mubarak has been stricken with cancer.

Parliamentary sources said Mubarak had been expected to chair a meeting of National Democratic Party parliamentarians on early Wednesday. But the meeting would now be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Yusef Wali.

It was not clear whether Mubarak would proceed with plans to address parliament on Saturday, when it begins its winter session. On Oct. 5, Mubarak was voted to a fourth six-year term of office.

Opposition sources said Mubarak's absence was particularly felt because of last month's crash of EgyptAir Flight 990 in which 217 people, including 33 officers were killed. They said as commander in chief, Mubarak would have felt obligated to remain in Egypt to console the families of the victims.

Egypt's government-owned media have launched a campaign to assure Egyptians that Mubarak is in good health. "You need not worry about my health," newspapers quoted Mubarak as saying in Paris. "Here I am standing right in front of you."