4 February 2008…. Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Badr El-Din Zayed, met with Austrian Deputy General Manager for Political Affairs, Director General of the Department for the Far and Middle East and Africa in the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Dr. Ralf Scheide. During the meeting, the Egyptian stand on the situation in Gaza as well as the developments of the peace process in the Middle East after the Annapolis Conference and the American President's tour in the region. Viewpoints were conferred over the most important issues on the regional and international arenas especially the situation in Iraq and the current crisis in Lebanon. The Austrian Official's visit to Cairo comes within the framework of a tour to the region in preparation for a visit of the Austrian Foreign Minister to the Middle East in February 2008.