France: Cairo, Paris share similar stances towards political solution to ME conflict

CAIRO – 5 February 2024: The French embassy in Cairo Sunday stressed the great consistency of French and Egyptian stances towards reaching a political solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as ensuring de-escalation in the region.

This came in a statement issued by the embassy on the occasion of the official visit made by French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné to Egypt on Sunday.

During the visit, Séjourné met President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to discuss fostering Egyptian-French cooperation as well as the situation in the Middle East.

The embassy highlighted the significance of relations between the two countries "towards avoiding divisions between European and Arab countries regarding the crisis, specially with France playing a pioneering role at the European Union, same as to Egypt among its neighboring Arab countries," the statement read.

"France hails Egypt's efforts to facilitate the release of detainees, which is deemed a top priority and such a file is considered a matter of greater coordination between the two countries."

France shares Egypt's concern regarding the strikes that targeted the Palestinian side of Rafah city, the embassy affirmed, noting that the French top diplomat underscored at the UN Security Council that Gaza is a Palestinian territory and any forced displacement of its residents is an unacceptable matter.

The French-Egyptian cooperation towards humanitarian aims has achieved remarkable success, the statement said, noting that close coordination with Egyptian hospitals has enabled the deployment of the French helicopter carrier Diksmuide, which has treated almost 100 patients with dangerous conditions alongside conducting over 1,000 medical interventions.

Critical cases have been evacuated to France for treatment, an action that shall continue, the statement added.

Also, French-Egyptian cooperation has enabled the delivery of 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid through Egypt to the Gaza Strip and delivering them to the Egyptian Red Crescent and the World Food Program (WFP).

France underlines solidarity with Egypt, which was badly affected by the crisis on its borders as well as the reduced transportation rate of the Suez Canal due to the attacks by Hothis, the statement added.