Shoukri leaves for Paris on start of European tour

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri left here on Monday for Paris at the start of an European tour that will take him to Copenhagen and London.
During his visit to Copenhagen, Shoukri will take part in the High Level Partnership Forum Copenhagen (HLPF Copenhagen) that aims to maintain the momentum in the political transition process, with a view to fostering dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia.
Egypt's participation in HLPF comes as part of Cairo's interest in regional and international efforts exerted to achieve stability and security, especially in Somalia, and the Horn of Africa region in general.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel Attei said the Egyptian top diplomat will meet Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal in Paris as part of constant consultations between the two countries over regional and international issues of common interest, especially the latest developments in the Arab region.
In London, Shoukri will meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry for talks on the latest developments of the Palestinian issue and the efforts exerted to resume peace negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, Gaza reconstruction in view of Cairo donors' conference, as well as the latest tensions in East Jerusalem.
HLPF is planned within the framework of the Somali Compact and builds upon the results from the New Deal Conference on Somalia in Brussels in September 2013, and the HLPF Meeting in Mogadishu in February 2014. The HLPF Copenhagen convenes the new High Level Partnership Forum at Ministerial Level for the first time on February 19-20.