Hubert Vedrine: Egypt plays a leading role in the region
Egypt-France, Politics, 1/17/2000

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine starts today a visit to Cairo at the invitation of his counterpart Amr Moussa. Vedrine's visit comes in the context of ongoing political and diplomatic coordination between Egypt and France.

In an interview to Al-Ahram newspaper, prior to his visit to Cairo, the French Foreign Minister said views of Egypt and France on all international issues are identical, adding that his talks in Cairo would explore future prospects in the Middle East after the establishment of peace. The Minister said Egypt would continue to play its usual role as a leading state and a mainstay in the region at the human and cultural levels.

Vedrine said Egypt and France held intensive contacts when the peace process came nearly to a virtual halt when former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was still in power, adding that if the peace process had stopped, this would have posed many risks to all countries of the region.

He said France played an important role in the recent resumption of negotiations between the Israelis and the Syrians. He said his talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Amr Moussa will not be confined to routine diplomatic talks but extend to future prospects in the Middle East.

" As the Syrians and Israelis have resumed negotiations, he could now believe that the Middle East would live in a state of peace," Vedrine said. Answering a question on whether France would be ready to dispatch troops to guarantee peace between the Syrians and Israel, the Minister said negotiations are still far from the point at which parties say what they want from the United States and France to do.

However, the moment will come when the parties would call for peace guarantees, adding that France will positively respond, as contribution to maintaining stability and security in the Middle East is one of most important goals of the French diplomacy. He expressed his belief that Egypt will play its usual role as a leading country in the region at the human and cultural levels.

Previous Stories:
  Vedrine due to visit Cairo on Monday   (1/12/2000)
  Muabarak meets with Jospin   (12/22/1999)
  French premier starts visit to Egypt   (12/21/1999)

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