Egypt on Saturday expressed its welcome to the outcome of the Quartet's Friday meeting which reiterated its support for the Middle East peace process and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Quartet, grouping the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, held a foreign ministerial meeting in Washington on Friday, calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state while renewing support for international sanctions against the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

In a statement, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said that the Quartet's stand to support for the Middle East peace process and the establishment of a Palestinian state was in conformity with Cairo's vision to achieve a comprehensive peace in the region.

Egypt has always called for focusing on the Palestinian cause as the center of the regional conflict and resuming negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, he said.

Abul Gheit stressed that the Palestinian side needs assurances and guarantees for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with permanent borders, as well as the status of Jerusalem, which were necessary to render credibility to the peace process.

Egypt would continue its contacts with all parties concerned to boost efforts exerted to revive the stalled peace process and settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he expressed.

Earlier in the day, Abul Gheit held a phone conversation with his Israeli counterpart Tzibi Livni and the two sides discussed the possibilities to relaunch the long-stalled Mideast peace process, especially the Palestinian-Israeli talks.

The foreign minister stressed the importance of the restart of talks over all problems obstructing a final settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis, the ministry spokesman Alaa al-Hadidi said, quoted by the official MENA news agency.

Source: Xinhua