President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion discussed Wednesday international efforts of reviving the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine as well as the Ottawa-Cairo military cooperation in the Sinai, Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Alaa Youssef said in a statement.
President Sisi said that he was looking forward to Canada’s efforts in reviving the peace process, Youssef added. Dion expressed his country’s keenness to revive the peace talks for bringing stability to the Middle East, Youssef said.
“Realizing just and comprehensive peace based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders will provide a new reality that shall contribute to the realization of peace and stability for all countries in the region,” Sisi was quoted as saying in the statement.
The peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel were suspended after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced a unity government of Fatah and Hamas representatives in 2014 in light of reaching an inter-Palestinian reconciliation which was rejected by Israel. However on May 17, President Sisi called for reviving the peace talks for “achieving warmer peace.” His call was welcomed by Palestinians and Israeli officials.
Concerning the military cooperation between Egypt and Canada, President Sisi discussed ways of strengthening ties, particularly in Sinai, according to Youssef.
“The President commended Canada’s balanced positions, its understanding of the developments taking place in Egypt over the past years and its valued participation in the multinational forces operating in Sinai, under the current Canadian command,” Youssef said.
Both sides also tackled the other international and regional issues of mutual concerns, particularly in conflict-stricken countries.
The Canadian Foreign Minister voiced his country’s condolences for the victims of the EgyptAir plane that crashed into the Mediterranean last week, claiming lives of the 66 people on board.
