Egypt calls for continuing efforts to activate peace process

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday called for continuing efforts to activate the peace process in order to resume the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.Speaking to diplomatic reporters, Abul Gheit held the continued blockade on the Palestinian people undoubtedly contributing to instigating the fighting inside the territories especially in the Gaza Strip, referring to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

However, the top Egyptian diplomat noted that such negative atmosphere does not justify the infighting, considering the formation of an Arab committee to probe conditions on the Palestinian arena as an opportunity to resume dialogue and going back to legitimacy.

Abul Gheit asserted the importance of maintaining Palestinian legitimacy, the presidency of Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority and the unity of the Palestinian territories, warning against separating Gaza from the West Bank and underlining the need to protect the unity of the Palestinian territories and the future of the Palestinians.

Abul Gheit made intensive contacts with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon, discussing the outcome of Friday’s Arab League ministerial meetings and elements required to render meetings of the international quartet with the disputed parties and the Arab contact group planned on June 26-27 a success.