CAIRO: With the ongoing Israeli air strikes on Gaza, European envoys will continue to come to Egypt and the region in an attempt to secure a ceasefire, Miloslav Stasek, the Czech ambassador in Cairo, told a press conference this week.
The press conference was held at the embassy premises on the occasion of launching the Czech Presidency to the EU in January.
Klaus Ebermann, EU ambassador, and Malin Kärre, Swedish ambassadress, joined the event. Sweden is part of the present EU troika as it will assume the six-month rotational presidency in July.
The Czech and German foreign ministers were in the region recently and the Spanish foreign minister and Tony Blair, the quartet representative, also arrived in Cairo, Stasek said, adding that Prague is determined to continue the peace process in the Middle East based on the Annapolis summit.
A plane carrying humanitarian aid was expected to arrive in Al-Arish Sunday before trying to make it through the Rafah crossing into Gaza, he said, noting that the EU was one of the first parties to pledge humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. Europe pledged additional ?3 million in relief assistance for the Gaza Strip following the air strikes.
Speaking on Sunday, Stasek, however, deplored that the Rafah crossing, in its present condition, was not ready or even equipped for trucks and aid to get through. On Monday Egyptian ambulances, in addition to European, Arab and Egyptian doctors, crossed into Gaza.
Ebermann, on his part, said that the EU is not only expressing deep concern, but it is trying to find solutions as rapidly as possible and “together with Egypt, Europeans stand on the first line.
He also mentioned that Europe is trying to have observers in Rafah and the other seven crossing points.
Europe is ready to provide technology and observers to secure borders provided that all parties concerned agree. There is also a German proposal to train Egyptian specialists in this field, according to the 2005 agreement, according to the Czech ambassador.
During the interview, the Swedish ambassadress Kärre revealed that her foreign minister, Carl Bildt has written about nothing but Gaza on his blog recently, trying to find solutions through “active diplomacy at the public level.
The address of the blog, which is in Swedish, is www.carlbildt.wordpress.com
“Europe is active from the beginning and will continue to be active, she said, adding that there are daily contacts with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit as well as communications with the Israeli government.
“Let’s hope to reach a ceasefire and stabilize the situation, she added.
