Abul-Gheit Suleiman probe with Arafat Egyptian initiative to secure Gaza strip
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 9/7/2004

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat received Foreign Minister and Minister Omar Suleiman immediately upon their arrival in Ramallah on a few hours visit to discuss efforts to revive the Middle East peace process.

The visit covers ways to implement the roadmap peace plan and halting Israeli aggressions on the Palestinian people.

Arafat's meeting with the two senior Egyptian officials was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Minister of Negotiations Affairs Saeb Erekat.

The visit, Erekat told reporters, is part of an Egyptian drive to revive the peace process, stop Israeli aggressions and promote dialogue among Palestinian factions.

It also aims at re-arranging the Palestinian domestic front to reach a joint political program in light of the possible Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, he added.

Abul-Gheit and Suleiman had delayed their visit to Ramallah by almost one week due to the Beersheba twin blasts last week.

Palestinian Presidential Sources said that members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and some PLO members attended Arafat's meeting with the Egyptian delegation.

The Sources said that the visit was part of the active Egyptian efforts to back the Palestinian Authority, activate the inter-Palestinian dialogue and ways of implementing the Roadmap. President Yasser Arafat hailed efforts exerted by President Hosni Mubarak to protect the Middle East peace process and implement the Roadmap.

Addressing a press conference with Abul-Gheit in Ramallah, Arafat also hailed Mubarak's good offices aiming at achieving the just and comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and Israelis and the entire Middle East.

Arafat entrusted Abul-Gheit with conveying greetings of the Palestinian people to Mubarak. He thanked the President for efforts that Egypt exerted on various occasions to push forward the Middle East peace process.

On his part, Abul-Gheit said that President Mubarak entrusted him and Minister Omar Suleiman with conveying a message of friendship and cordiality to President Arafat.

He also said that he carried a message of support from the Egyptian people to the Palestinian people confirming Egypt's serious efforts to push forward the political settlement in Palestine through the practical and urgent implementation of the Roadmap.

Abul-Gheit said that the Egyptian delegation listened to viewpoints of President Arafat and the Palestinian people.

The top diplomat added that the Egyptian delegation conveyed to the Palestinians Cairo's assessment of the international and regional conditions and means to take more serious steps during the coming stage.

Previous Stories:
  Abul-Gheit, Suleiman to visit Israel, Ramallah late this month for talks with Sharon, Arafat   (8/20/2004)
  Palestinian security men trained in Egypt   (8/17/2004)
  Cairo hosts inter-Palestinian dialogue   (8/17/2004)

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