CAIRO: Hussein Tantawi, the Chief of Egypt's interim ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the Palestinian peace process, among other issues. Abbas thanked Egypt for its involvement in the recent Palestinian prisoner swap deal, which freed 1,027 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli captivity in exchange for Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Gilad Shalit. “The PA is relieved that Shalit's file is finally closed, because it was being used as an excuse by Israel and other parties to hinder the peace process,” Abbas reportedly said to Tantawi. They also discussed the release of nine other prominent Palestinians in Israeli jails who were excluded from the Shalit deal. The two leaders discussed Palestinian efforts to achieve recognition of the Palestinian state at the United Nations, as well as regional and international events that have affected Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. The Middle East Quartet, comprising of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States, has called upon all parties to return to negotiations. Palestinian authorities are reportedly ready to negotiate if Israel accepts the pre-1976 borders and halt the construction of illegal settlements. The Quartet has set a timeline for negotiations, hoping to achieve a substantial agreement by the end of 2012. BM
