CAIRO: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will be in Egypt today to meet with President Hosni Mubarak, counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit as well as Egypt's defense minister as part of a Middle East tour which takes him to Lebanon tomorrow. Kouchner had already met with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian officials. While in Egypt, Kouchner will also meet with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to hear his ideas on the revival of the peace process ahead of an upcoming US-sponsored conference for Middle East peace in November. This is Kouchner's second tour of the Middle East since July in his capacity as the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. A Foreign Ministry press release stated that the French official's visit comes "within the framework of the constant coordination and consultation between Egypt and France regarding several important bilateral, regional and international issues. Topping the agenda for the visit to Egypt was "exchanging viewpoints regarding significant issues in the region, especially the situation in Lebanon, as well as developments in the Middle East and Darfur and other issues. On Monday, Kouchner met with Palestinian and Israeli officials, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Abbas called for French participation in the November conference, telling journalists in Ramallah after meeting Kouchner, "We have spoken of the international conference and the need for the presence of concerned parties in the region as well as international parties which work for peace ... especially France. Kouchner concurred with the Palestinian president's statements saying "France is ready to take part, to be active in it and to make proposals. We were pleased to hear preparations for this conference in November, to take place it seems in the United States, are going ahead in a positive way. Kouchner also said in an interview with Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahoronoth that the two-state solution was the only way forward for peace in the region. "All the members of the present government, including Mr Netanyahu, are convinced of the necessity of two states. What are we waiting for? Why isn't Israel unilaterally declaring that [it] is ready to recognize a Palestinian State immediately, or helping an uncorrupted administration being put in place? Or even contributing to the birth of the Palestinian State, which would be a tremendous gesture of help. Today, people must talk to the Palestinians, the PLO, to Abu Mazen and Mr. Fayyad, he said in the interview. Kouchner, like all Western officials, does not recognize Hamas or its government led by Ismail Haniyeh. After the visit to Egypt, the French minister will head to Lebanon to arbitrate between rival political factions on electing a new president. The Lebanese parliament is due to convene on Sept. 25 to elect a successor to Emile Lahoud, the long-serving president who boasts close ties to Syria. Kouchner had said in Cairo on his previous visit in July that "pressure is needed on the environment [of Lebanon], meaning that Syria and Iran must not exercise influence that could lead to war. And although he does not meet with Hamas in Palestine, Kouchner did meet with Hezbollah representatives in Paris in July to seek a solution for the crisis in Lebanon. "Yes we did meet with Hezbollah in Paris, and again today at the embassy. I'm just a facilitator, we want to restart the talks and they are a part of that, he said.
