TV shows Egyptian president Mubarak 'is recovering'

Mr Mubarak was shown talking to doctors in the German hospital

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has appeared apparently fit and well on state television after undergoing surgery in Germany.

In footage apparently shot on Tuesday morning Mr Mubarak, 81, was shown sitting up clothed in a dressing gown, talking to doctors.

He underwent surgery on his gall bladder and had a growth on his intestine removed on 6 March.

Mr Mubarak has not said if he will seek a re-election in upcoming elections.

"He was upbeat and in very good spirits as usual," Markus Buchler of University of Heidelberg told reporters in Germany.

The stock market in Egypt was boosted by the pictures of Mr Mubarak.

Concern that the president's condition was more serious than the government was letting on had driven market levels down.

Elections due

When he left the country the president handed over to his prime minister Ahmed Nazif, as Mr Mubarak has never appointed a vice president in all the years he has been in power.

He has already served six terms, ruling Egypt for the last 30 years.

Elections are due in 2011, and it had been rumoured that Mr Mubarak was planning to hand over to his politician son Gamal, but that has been denied.

The president's health is usually a taboo subject in Egypt, correspondents say.

In 2004, he underwent back surgery - also in Germany - and handed over power temporarily to his prime minister.

And in 2003, he collapsed during a televised speech in parliament, apparently from a bout of 'flu.