"Egyptian-Irish relations are very strong and cooperation between the two countries takes shape in the UN and other specialized agencies," Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Wednesday9/7/2008 at a joint press conference with Irish counterpart Micheal Martin following their meeting earlier in the day .

The joint press conference of Abul-Gheit and Martin comes at a time of increased maneuvers by Israel and Iran in what could be an indication that a military option is preferred to diplomacy . Both foreign ministers, however, pressed for a political solution to the problem to avoid any clash that might very well harm the region

Ireland was the only EU country to approve the Egyptian proposal to the International Atomic Energy Agency to free the Middle East of nuclear weapons, Abul-Gheit noted.

This is one example of Irish support for Egyptian stands, Martin commented.

He told reporters Ireland appreciates the role Egypt plays, especially where Gaza is concerned.

The Irish Foreign Minister hailed the key role played by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Middle East peace process, particularly in clinching a truce between Israel and the Palestinian movement of Hamas in Gaza Strip.

Martin said his country buttressed underway efforts to strike a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state beside Israel.

Asked about the Union for the Mediterranean proposed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Abul-Gheit said his country welcomes this initiative, but stressed that decision making should be for the North and South to do together.

Resolutions cannot possibly come from the EU or the European Commission, the Egyptian Foreign Minister said. He pressed for forming a secretariat to guarantee the Union of the Mediterranean won't have the same fate as the Barcelona Process.

Countries north of the Mediterranean should understand and appreciate needs of the South, Abul-Gheit said, adding that both sides should work together to achieve common interests.

Israel was a member of the Barcelona Process and it now joins the new union, which Egypt wants to render successful. But this initiative should not be used to get Arab countries to normalize ties with Israel, while a Palestinian settlement is still in the air.

It is important to understand that nobody is against normalization, if it comes as part of the Arab peace initiative; meaning that Israel withdraws from lands it had occupied in 1967 in return for healthy relations with its neighbors, Abul-Gheit told reporters.

A peaceful settlement to the Middle East conflict remains at risk, so long as Israel's settlement activities persist, the Egyptian FM said. A viable unified Palestinian state will fail to exist against such a background, which, according to Abul-Gheit, means that the conflict will have no definite end.

Just recently, Israel and Hamas have signed a truce - a fragile truce breached from time to time by rocket attacks and closure of the Gaza crossings.

Martin said Ireland also backs a two-state solution, believing the Israeli settlements stand in the way of achieving just that.