Egypt intensifies efforts on international conference and Middle East peace
Egypt-France, Politics, 9/9/1998

The Egyptian foreign ministry announced that an Egyptian - French joint meeting will be held on a high officials level, in Paris next Monday to consult on the coming steps for the Egyptian-French initiative on an international conference to salvage the Middle East peace process.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said the outcomes of this meeting will pave the way for the meetings of the Egyptian and French Foreign Ministers in New York before the end of the current month on the margin of the works of the new session of the UN General Assembly.

Monte Carlo radio quoted French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine as saying in press statements on Monday in Paris that the meeting is a work-meeting between Egypt and France who launched the idea of convening the international conference, with the objective of deepening the idea of the conference.

The French minister added that the meeting is not for launching the conference in the real sense of the word. The decision to launch the conference has not been taken yet, "and we still support efforts exerted so far, and at the same time deepen the idea of convening the conference with our European partners and Arab friends."

The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson also underlined that the conferece plan "is a complement to the American efforts aiming at restarting the peace process," adding that, "The purpose of this meeting is to define the content of the peace summit initiative that was covered by the French and Egyptian presidents last May."

Egypt's Foreign Minister Moussa said next week's meetings in Paris come within the necessary arrangements and steps to prepare for holding this international conference, stating that the U.S.A. has to participate in this conference's works.

Egyptian President Mubarak today in Cairo received secretary general of the Israeli Cabinet Danny Naveh, who is also the envoy of the Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Present at the meeting were President Mubarak's advisor for political affairs, Dr. Osama el-Baz, and the Israeli ambassador in Cairo.

Meanwhile, Moussa stated that the current impasse between Egypt and Israel is related to the deadlock in the peace process. He said the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister's envoy, secretary general of the Israeli Cabinet Danny Naveh, to Cairo will address some of the reasons for the halt in Egyptian-Israeli relations adding the visit is aimed at informing Egypt and President Mubarak about the Israeli position toward reaching an agreement with the Palestinian government before the arrival to U.S. peace process coordinator Dennis Ross to the region.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli officials to visit Egypt   (9/8/1998)
  France to continue efforts for conference on Mideast crisis   (9/8/1998)
  Egypt: International conference soon to forward Middle East peace   (9/4/1998)

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