LOC15:21
12:21 GMT
CAIRO, July 19 (KUNA) -- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said his country supports the Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire between Gaza and Israel, calling the ceasefire an "urgent" matter.
The Minister's statement came in a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Saturday, shortly after meeting with Egyptian President Abdulfattah Al-Sisi as part of his visit to Egypt, Jordan and Israel.
The main target is to immediately stop violence, especially with the increasing numbers of civilian victims, noted Fabius, adding that France also aims at creating a lasting truce between the two sides.
The minister also said that both France and Egypt are cooperating in fighting terrorism in the region, expressing his concern over the level of terrorism existing in Libya, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Mali, Nigeria and the Sahel region in Africa.
Moreover, Fabius warned of the terrorist groups who own developed weapons, money and control over routes of commerce, noting that they pose a huge threat on countries' security in the 21st century.
Meanwhile, on the Iranian nuclear file, Fabius noted that the 5+1 Group decided to extend the talks with Iran during their meeting yesterday, until November 20 after achieving positive results on the matter.
Shoukry on his part noted that the initiative was widely accepted by the Arab League, the UN Security Council, international bodies and the two warring sides.
The initiative guarantees a complete ceasefire, end the siege on Gaza and works on fulfilling the demands of Gaza citizens, he added.
As for Fabius' meeting with Al-Sisi, Shoukry noted that the two men discussed issues of mutual concern and developing bilateral relations in all fields.(end)
smg.rg.am.ag