Egyptian, French Presidents voice rejection of displacement of Palestinians

Cairo, April 7 (IANS) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his visiting French counterpart Emmanuel Macron voiced on Monday rejection of any calls for the displacement of Palestinians from their land, emphasising the need for a just resolution to the Palestinian issue.

"We agreed on rejecting any calls for the displacement of Palestinians from their land," al-Sisi said at a joint press conference with the French President in Cairo.

He stressed that lasting peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a fair settlement of the Palestinian cause. Sisi called for an immediate ceasefire to allow the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, facilitate the release of hostages, and prevent further escalation.

Echoing these sentiments, Macron reaffirmed his country's opposition to any displacement of Palestinians and annexation of Gaza and the West Bank, adding, "Hamas must have no role in governing Gaza."

He condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza and called for respecting the ceasefire and returning to negotiations as soon as possible.

The two leaders also discussed the situations in Syria, Lebanon and Iran.

The French leader expressed France's support for the transitional process toward a unified, stable, and sovereign Syria, while rejecting any foreign interference, Xinhua news agency reported. He also stressed France's commitment to the sovereignty and stability of Lebanon, rejecting "all hostile and terrorist acts."

On Iran, Macron reiterated that both Egypt and France want a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis, "or this issue will fuel regional instability."

He said France, in cooperation with its partners, continues efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions and address its involvement in regional conflicts.

--IANS

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