In a phone conversation Sunday 5/8/2007 with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit renewed Egypt's unshakable support for the Palestinian and Israeli parties to make a headway in the peace process.

Minister Abul-Gheit and Rice also reviewed progress of the underway preparations for the international conference which was called for by US President W. Bush and expected to be held by Mid-November.

A spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Rice informed Abul-Gheit of her commitment to visit the Middle East next month within the framework of her endeavours for making a tangible breakthrough between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the coming stage.

The spokesman said the Egyptian contacts are aimed at building on the current momentum, following the resumption of the Palestinian Israeli contacts in the light of the sincerity shown by the US side for pushing both sides to enter into a comprehensive political dialogue on final settlement topics.

"Abul-Gheit had conveyed to Israeli Foreign Minster Tzipi Livni the vision that was crystallized at the latest Arab Foreign Ministerial meeting on entrusting the Egyptian and Jordanian Foreign Ministers to contact Israel to expound the Arab initiative", he said.

"Egyptian contacts aim at maintaining progress in the wake of the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli contacts especially in light of the US interest in having the two sides engaged in a comprehensive and genuine political dialogue on final settlement issues", he said.

"Abul-Gheit also told Livni that Israel had to live up to its responsibilities by taking confidence-building steps mainly ending hostile practices and the siege and to restore conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories to the pre-2000 state", he expounded.