U.S., Egypt discuss regional developments, cooperation methods

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri spoke Saturday with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry on the developments in the region and methods of cooperation.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abou Zeid said in a statement that the duo discussed the developments in the Middle East including the situation on Palestinian territories and efforts exerted for the resumption of the peace process.

US efforts to reach an agreement for the establishment of Palestinian state have stopped two years ago. The last round of peace talks started in 2013, through a US-led initiative but collapsed in April 2014, upon reaching a pre-planned deadline.

France, however, has recently been engaged in talks with the international community to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

France’s proposal backs the two-state solution and France intends to invite the Palestinians and Israelis to talk to end what Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described as a “vicious circle”, during a visit to Cairo last March.

Numerous international efforts have been made to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict but the two sides have not reached an agreement on several contentious points including the division of Jerusalem, home to holy sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Egypt supports the establishment of a Palestinian state along the long the [pre-] June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Palestinians have long considered Israel settlement activity a major obstacle impeding the possibility of a two-state solution and an obliteration of hopes to resuming peace talks.

Source: Aswat Masriya