28 June 2009….

Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry stated that Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, presented a report to President Mubarak concerning the conclusions of the meetings the Minister has held during the G-8 foreign ministerial meetings concerning Afghanistan. The meeting was held in the Italian city of Trieste on 26 and 27 June, 2009.

The Spokesman outlined that the Foreign Minister has also participated on 26 June in a joint meeting for the International Quartet Committee with the members of the Arab follow-up committee on the ministerial level to discuss the exerted efforts to resume the political process between Palestinians and Israelis, and assess the general situation concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Aboul Gheit has also met with the US Envoy for the Middle East, George Mitchell, and the International Quartet Envoy, Tony Blair, as well as the British and the Spanish Foreign Ministers. Aboul Gheit discussed with them the whole situation and expressed relief towards the US persistence to commit Israel to implement its previous commitments, especially as concerns the complete halt to the settlement activity. He stressed the necessity to restore confidence between Palestinians and Israelis and uplift the numerous difficulties faced by the Palestinians on daily basis.

The Foreign Minister was keen to discuss the latest Egyptian efforts in the issue of Palestinian reconciliation. All the parties expressed full endorsement and appreciation to the Egyptian efforts in this field, and stressed the necessity that all the Palestinian parties show flexibility to render the Egyptian efforts successful and to end the division among themselves. This will make the Palestinians restore their unity in order to be able to face the prerequisites of the upcoming phase.

Furthermore, Aboul Gheit has participated in the meetings held concerning the situation in Afghanistan, in which many neighboring countries took part, as well as the countries participating with troops there. The Spokesman underlined that Egypt's participation in these meetings was an appreciation to its pioneering role in the Islamic world. Aboul Gheit has presented Egypt's views on the means of achieving progress there. He pointed to the recent Egyptian contributions to support the Afghani people, among which is the Egyptian civil hospital in Bagran base, which enjoys positive responses in the Afghani society. This is in addition to the Azhar Institute, managed by 45 of Azhar clergymen, as well as the training courses funded by the Foreign Ministry in the fields of Diplomacy, jurisdiction and water resources.