CAIRO - Egypt's newly appointed Foreign Minister, Mohamed el-Orabi, said on Monday that Egypt's new strategic situation means it must push for a unified Arab stance on the Palestinian cause. "This is our target in the near future," el-Orabi stressed. The Arab and African countries will be a top priority for Egypt, as well as deepening relations with Europe, the US, Asia and Latin America, he added. "To achieve this, we must rearrange some officials and implement some new rules concerning responsibilities.” The new minister also said that he would pay more attention to Africa, as it is very important in this transitional period in Egypt. El-Orabi, who has just turned 60, has served in several crucial posts during his career. He worked in the Egyptian Embassy in Israel and, in 2000, was also head of the office of Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, the current presidential frontrunner. He was also Egypt's Ambassador in Berlin for six years, during which there was a major breakthrough in relations, especially on the cultural front. El-Orabi's last post before retiring for only a few weeks was Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs. According to the same sources, this experienced diplomat is a good compromise for the remainder of the transitional period. They stress that he is well known in decision-making circles, given his years in Berlin.
