MIDEAST-CRISIS/EGYPT-FABIUS French FM arrives in Cairo for talks on Israeli-Palestinian tensions

Record ID: 151834

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/EGYPT-FABIUS French FM arrives in Cairo for talks on Israeli-Palestinian tensions
  • Date: 20th June 2015
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JUNE 20, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER LAURENT FABIUS WALKING INTO HOTEL WITH EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAMEH SHUKRI FABIUS AND SHUKRI WALKING INTO MEETING HALL FABIUS AND SHUKRI SPEAKING FABIUS SHUKRI FRENCH AND EGYPTIAN DELEGATIONS FABIUS AND SHUKRI TALKING SHUKRI LISTENING JOURNALISTS ENTERING MEETING ROOM
  • Embargoed: 5th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6P2RGD38YG3EY8NYID4F1ZMGH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrived in Cairo on Saturday (June 20) with an initiative aimed at bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to peace talks.
    Fabius met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri and is expected to meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later.
    The French foreign minister hopes to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table under an international framework amid growing regional instability.
    U.S.-led efforts to broker peace for a two-state solution collapsed in April 2014 and leaders on both sides have since been weakened politically.
    But with the region's crises worsening and Washington reassessing its options on U.S.-Israel relations, France sees a narrow window to resume negotiations.
    Fabius will explore the prospects for talks with key Arab League ministers, including Saudi Arabia, in Cairo on Saturday and with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday (June 21).
    Paris hopes to persuade Arab states, the European Union and U.N. Security Council members to pressure both sides to make compromises neither wants to make alone.
    France has so far focused with Arab states on a possible U.N. Security Council resolution that would set negotiating parameters and establish a time period, possibly 18 months, to complete talks.
    The trip comes before a final round of nuclear talks between major powers and Iran in late June.
    Washington has made clear it will not discuss the Middle East process until the Iran situation is clear, which could delay French moves beyond September.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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