DATE=12/17/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243153 TITLE=EGYPT / IRAQ (L ONLY) BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DEMONSTRATED IN CAIRO TO PROTEST THE U-S AND BRITISH AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ. RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM THE EGYPTIAN CAPITAL. TEXT: PROTESTS ARE NOT LEGAL IN EGYPT. BUT SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE DEMONSTRATED ANYWAY IN FRONT OF CAIRO UNIVERSITY AND IN NEARBY STREETS. POLICE DISPERSED THE PROTESTERS. BUT REPORTS SAID THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ARRESTS.. EGYPTIANS WHO WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE U-S AND BRITISH ATTACKS GENERALLY CRITICIZED THE MISSILE STRIKES. AHMED, WHO SAT DRINKING TEA IN A COFFEE SHOP, SAID HE BELIEVES THE ATTACKS WILL ONLY HARM THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND NOT THE COUNTRY'S LEADERSHIP. /// AHMED ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER /// AHMED SAYS HE HOPES THERE WILL BE NO MORE STRIKES. ONE RESTAURANT OWNER SAYS MUSLIMS AND ARABS SHOULD UNITE BEHIND IRAQ. /// RESTAURANT OWNER ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER /// HE SAYS ALL MUSLIMS ARE BROTHERS AND THAT AN ATTACK AGAINST ONE IS AN ATTACK AGAINST ALL. A LAWYER NAMED FIKRY SAYS ALL EGYPTIANS FEEL SORRY FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUFFERING UNDER INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS SINCE THE GULF WAR. /// FIKRY ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER /// HE ADDS THAT IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD EVERYONE AGREES THE STRIKE WAS UNPROVOKED BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IRAQ NO LONGER HAS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NAMED JOHN SAYS HE BELIEVES THE ATTACK IS AN ATTEMPT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON TO DISTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION FROM FAILURES IN THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AND HIS OWN SCANDALS. /// JOHN ACT /// THE PRESIDENT IS JUST TRYING TO GET THE PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO SOMETHING ELSE SO THEY WOULD FORGET THE PROBLEM IN ISRAEL AND THE PROBLEM WITH MONICA LEWINSKI. /// END ACT /// MEDIA REACTION HAS BEEN LIMITED THE ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ CAME AFTER NEWSPAPERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAD ALREADY GONE TO PRINT. (SIGNED) NEB/RHE/JWH 17-Dec-98 7:15 AM EST (1215 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .