But Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher refused to say directly whether Egypt shared America's belief that Osama bin Laden was behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"We are not the investigators, and we believe in the judicial system of the United States," the foreign minister said.

"I believe the United States and the other countries are convinced," he said, adding: "I'm sure they would not have acted without solid grounds."

Maher's hedged support for U.S. evidence on bin Laden reflected the deep unease of his moderate Arab government which shares a common enemy in religious extremists but whose citizens are not supportive of attacks on a fellow Muslim country.

Egypt, seen as a voice of moderation, is a key opinion shaper in the Middle East. A decade ago, Egypt helped the United States rally Arab support for the Gulf War against Iraq.

On Monday, Maher backed Washington when he said that President Bush had written to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of his intentions to come out publicly for Palestinian statehood at the start of September.

U.S. plans to go public regarding a Palestinian state became known only after the attacks and there was speculation that the acknowledgment was prompted by Washington's search for key Muslim allies for the anti-terrorism campaign.

Addresses an audience at Cairo University, Maher said Bush's letter to Mubarak shows the "terror attack delayed this announcement, and not prompted it."

Like in other Muslim countries, there were anti-American protests in Egypt Monday but they were mostly peaceful and contained.

Protesters at Zagazig University north of Cairo demanded that their government condemn the start of U.S. and British strikes in Afghanistan.

"Our rulers, why are you silent? Have you got orders from America?" students chanted.

Riot police in armored vehicles surrounded Egyptian universities and foreign embassies.

Maher expressed Egypt's "solidarity" with the United States in the fight against terrorism.

But he said Mideast terrorism would persist as long as Palestinians were denied statehood.

The foreign minister upheld what he called Palestinians' right to keep fighting Israel.

"The right of resistance ... to oppressors cannot be denied," he said. "There is an enormous difference between resistance and terrorism."