Abdel Atty, French counterpart discuss regional developments over phone

Dr. Badr Abdel Atty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, received a phone call from Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, on Wednesday, July 9, as part of the intensive periodic contacts between the two ministers to follow up on regional developments.

Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Minister Abdel Atty briefed his French counterpart on the latest developments regarding the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, the release of a number of hostages and prisoners, and the access of humanitarian aid to the Strip, stressing the urgent need to quickly reach a ceasefire, pointing out to the arrangements Egypt is making to host the international conference for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza following the ceasefire, in cooperation with the United Nations and the Palestinian government.

The two ministers also discussed the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Minister pointed out to the priority Egypt attaches to achieving a just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The official spokesperson added that the two ministers agreed on the need for concerted regional and international efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, de-escalate the situation, and open the way for a diplomatic process to address concerns related to Iran's nuclear program. In this context, Minister Abdel Atty emphasized the pivotal role of the E3 group in supporting the negotiating process to reach a settlement that contributes to de-escalation in the region.