French leader stresses Egypt role in Syria

French President Francois Hollande underlined on Tuesday Egypt's significant role in finding a solution to the Syrian crisis. In a phone call with Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi, Hollande said Egypt has a pivotal role to play within the framework of the Arab League to resolve the Syrian problem. During the phone conversation, both leaders mulled ways and means of promoting and developing Egyptian-French relations in trade, investment, tourist and cultural areas, according to a presidential release. The French president invited Morsi to visit France and to attend a French-African summit due in Paris by the end of this year. Morsi voiced support for fervent efforts to ensure the success of the Geneva II Conference on Syria, stressing the significant role of the international community to resolve the Syrian problem. He said the Geneva II Conference on Syria is compatible with an Egyptian initiative to involve regional and international parties in efforts for a peaceful solution to the Syrian predicament. Both leaders also agreed to work to achieve development in Africa in order to face challenges like poverty and violence.