FM Sameh Shoukry, Blair discuss reactivating Middle East peace process

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met on Tuesday with former British premier Tony Blair to discuss ways to end the stalemate in the Middle East peace process.

Blair was keen on stopping in Egypt on his way to Israel to listen to an Egyptian assessment of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and ideas to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Aati.

Shoukry posted Blair, who is also the former envoy of the international quartet committee, on the outcome of contacts he had recently with some of his European counterparts to reactivate the peace process, Abdel Aati said.

The meeting also tackled the outcome of a recent get-together between Shoukry and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, he added.

They also discussed arrangements for a meeting of the follow-up committee of the Arab peace initiative in Cairo on August 5, the spokesman further said.

Abdel Aati stressed Egypt's keenness on acting to restore the lawful rights of the Palestinian people so that they can establish their independent State on all their lands.