(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau)
In their meeting held on Wednesday, 27th December, Foreign Minister Livni and Egyptian Foreign Minister Gheit discussed regional affairs, including the necessity to promote the Palestinian process and to ensure continued stabilization of the area.
With regard to bilateral issues, the Foreign Ministers agreed to increase the dialog between the two countries. In accordance with this, FM Gheit invited FM Livni to visit Egypt in the near future. In addition, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is due to visit Egypt next month (January).
FM Livni informed her colleague that the problem of Israeli flights to Egypt has been solved. She also raised the issue of the Sudanese refugees in Israel, emphasizing the 88 refugees holding Egyptian-issued refugee documentation which they received in Cairo prior to their arrival in Israel.
In accordance with FM Livni's request, and with the aim of increasing agricultural cooperation between the two countries, the parties agreed on a meeting between the Ministers of Agriculture of both countries. The ministers also agreed on the joint development of a mechanism designed to handle mass disasters in the Sinai, as well as mutual visits of Foreign Ministry interns of both countries.
They further cited the year 2007 as the Year of Peace, marking the 30th anniversary of President Sadat's historic visit to Israel, an event both countries will work to commemorate.