CAIRO, April 18 (MENA) - The recent tripartite summit in Cairo between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Jordanian King Abdullah II offered an opportunity to affirm France’s vision regarding the current developments in the Middle East, French Ambassador in Cairo Éric Chevalier said Friday.

The summit included highly important discussions with the two most moderate countries in the Middle East. The goal was indeed to reaffirm that France shares the same perspective that supports peace and stability in the region, the ambassador told the Egyptian Radio.

The three leaders are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave, as the current deprivation of aid to the people of Gaza is extremely dangerous, Chevalier said.

He explained that the leaders' shared viewpoint is centered around supporting the achievement of a lasting political solution based on the two-state solution, adding that Macron was precise and clear when he declared his and France’s official position, which is to reach a permanent political solution under the current circumstances.

The situation in Gaza will only worsen unless there is a decision to reach a ceasefire, and this is the position supported by all three countries. We express our appreciation for the Egyptian efforts in cooperation with other countries, the ambassador said.

He emphasized that humanitarian aid for Gaza is critically important alongside the political solution, and that while this is a difficult goal, it is believed to be the only path forward.

The French diplomat pointed out that the three leaders held a joint phone call with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit in Cairo, during which they discussed ways to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They also expressed a shared desire and aspiration to achieve peace and stability in the region, in addition to the need to fully resume the delivery of humanitarian aid, to release all hostages and detainees immediately, to create suitable conditions for a genuine political horizon, and to mobilize international efforts to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, restore security for all, and implement the two-state solution.

Of course, we cannot say that all problems can be resolved through a phone call, but we must acknowledge that this is diplomacy, and it is the only way to achieve peace and stability in the region through a step-by-step policy. The strong message from this call is that the demand for achieving these goals is coming from two important Arab countries alongside an influential European nation, he added.

Chevalier also touched on the visit of Presidents Sisi and Macron to the city of Arish, where they toured Arish Hospital and met with injured Palestinians, particularly women and children. They also visited the logistics center of the Egyptian Red Crescent, designated for gathering humanitarian aid provided by Egypt and other countries for the Gaza Strip. He said the visit was meant to reaffirm France’s solidarity with Egypt’s substantial efforts to receive and care for those injured from the Palestinian population due to the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

We arranged a meeting for President Macron with NGOs, UN bodies, and members of the European mission to inform the French president about the reality on the ground. On his return to France, President Macron made a press statement aboard the plane in which he opened the door to the possibility of recognizing the Palestinian state, as well as the upcoming conference to be held at the United Nations, which will be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia to implement the two-state solution, he concluded. (MENA)

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