Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, stated that Egypt participated in the extraordinary meeting –the first of its kind- on senior officials' level, held in Brussels on April 23rd, within the framework of the "Union for the Mediterranean" initiative to discuss the political situation in the Middle East and the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories after the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
Ambassador Hossam Zaki, who represented Egypt in the meeting, outlined that the senior officials' meeting is a significant indication to the role the Union can play on the political level to push the sides –especially Israel- to fulfill their obligations and respect the previous agreements, as well as international charters and conventions.
Ambassador Zaki added that he presented, to Brussels meeting, Egypt's vision regarding the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories. Ambassador Zaki also reviewed the situation since the Israeli aggression on Gaza in December 2008 till the time being, particularly the deteriorating humanitarian condition which resulted from the aggression and the Egyptian efforts to alleviate its negative repercussions on the Palestinian People in Gaza strip. The Spokesman also presented to the participants all the elements of the Egyptian vision regarding the Egyptian efforts to restore the truce in Gaza and achieve the Palestinian reconciliation. Ambassador Zaki reiterated Egypt's complete rejection of the negative and suppressive practices and procedures against Palestinians in the occupied territories, especially the West bank and Jerusalem, and underlined the Israeli settlement activities and procedures of judizing and isolating East Jerusalem, and other procedures that obstruct any political settlement and efforts to achieve peace.
The Spokesman added that Egypt outlined, to the meeting, that the Israeli Government should declare its commitment to the internationally agreed upon settlement basics as soon as possible, within the framework of the founding document of the Union for the Mediterranean, foremost of which is ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian and Arab lands, establishing the independent Palestinian state, and refraining from any unilateral procedures that affect the aspired settlement opportunities.
Ambassador Hossam Zaki stated that Brussels meeting witnessed active participation of all Arab countries, on the level of Coordinators of the Union for the Mediterranean, and Arab Ambassadors in Brussels, as well as the European countries that participated on a senior level through the highest possible European level, represented in EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and accredited Ambassadors in Brussels, in addition to EU officials in charge of the Union for the Mediterranean.