Egyptian FM to Visit Europe for Mideast Peace, Economic TiesEgyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa will start a week-long tour to European countries on January 24, the state-run Middle East News Agency reported on Friday.The tour will focus on the latest developments in the Middle East, especially ways to halt Israel's continuing brutalities against the Palestinians, the news agency said. In Sweden, which is holding the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) for the first half of 2001, Moussa is to discuss with his Swedish counterpart Anna Lindh on the Northern European kingdom's possible efforts to end violence in the Middle East and create an atmosphere suitable for advancing the peace process. The Egyptian minister then will travel to Norway on January 26 to discuss with Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland ways of removing obstacles in the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis. He is also expected to hold talks with Norwegian officials on the role Oslo can play in stopping Israel's aggressions against the Palestinians. Moussa will head for Davos, Switzerland, on January 27 to participate in the annual World Economic Forum. He will exchange views with his European counterparts on the situation in the Middle East and efforts to end violence in the region, as well as issues regarding economic cooperation between developing and developed countries. More than 350 Palestinians have been killed so far since clashes erupted late September between Israeli troops and Palestinians protesting against Israeli violation of Islamic holy sites in East Jerusalem. |
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