Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit received on Saturday Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Supachai Panitchpakdi.

During the meeting, Abul-Gheit praised the role played by the UNCTAD General Secretariat in terms of offering technical assistance to developing nations in several domains, mainly trade, investment and financing development.

In statements, Abul-Gheit asserted the importance of giving momentum to technical cooperation between Egypt and the UNCTAD in both the current or suggested projects which cover the fields of communications, information technology and promotion of direct foreign investments.

Panitchpakdi praised cooperation with Egypt and the role played by Egypt ever since the establishment of the UNCTAD, pointing to plans for more cooperation between the two sides in the fields of trade and environment. He hailed the steps taken by the Egyptian government in the fields of economic and trade reform and attraction of foreign investments.

Following the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding between the Diplomatic Studies Institute and the UNCTAD secretariat on enhancing cooperation in the fields of training.

The UNCTAD Secretary General is expected to meet with the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Finance, Trade, International Cooperation, Investment and Higher Education and the Arab League Secretary General during his visit to Egypt.

Abul-Gheit Welcomes Outcome of Quartet Meeting.

On the Palestinian arena, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit welcomed the outcome of Friday's meeting of the foreign ministers of the Quartet; the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, in Washington, during which they stressed the dire need to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in line with UNSCR 242.

During the meeting, the foreign ministers also underlined the need to put an end to the 1967 Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state.

In a Foreign Ministry statement, Abul-Gheit said that the Quartet's stand was in conformity with Egypt's vision of achieving a comprehensive peace in the Middle East region.

In the statement, Abul-Gheit added that Egypt had always called for focusing on the Palestinian cause as the crux of conflict in the region and resuming negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

The Palestinian side needs assurances and guarantees as to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with permanent borders, as well as the status of Al-Quds, said Abul-Gheit, adding that such guarantees were necessary to give credibility to the peace process.

Abul-Gheit also voiced his satisfaction with the Quartet's stand calling for reactivating political negotiations, stressing that Egypt would continue its contacts with all parties concerned to boost efforts exerted to re-energize the stalled peace process and settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Abul-Gheit yesterday received a phone call from his Israeli counterpart Tzibi Livni during which they reviewed ongoing efforts to re-launch the long-stalled Mideast peace march and resume the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alaa Al-Hadidi said Abul-Gheit stressed the importance of re-launching of talks over all problems obstructing a final settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Abul-Gheit said that both sides should be encouraged to re-engage in political peace talks and should stop hinging their tackling of final-status settlement issues on the implementation of the first phase of the Roadmap.

According to the spokesman, Abul-Gheit and Livni agreed on arranging a visit to Cairo by the Israeli Foreign Ministry's Secretary General for more detailed talks on Egyptian stand and issues connected with bilateral ties.