Egypt seeks international action on Mideast

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher urged the international community to stop the cycle ofPalestinian-Israeli violence.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher urged the international community to stop the cycle ofPalestinian-Israeli violence.

The hopes that last week's peace summits in Egypt and Jordan raised show the "need for the concerned powers to intervene to prevent these hopes from being dashed and the cycle of violence from continuing," Mr Maher was quoted as saying in separate talks with the US and Greekambassadors.

"The latest developments and the loss of human lives show the need for intervention by all those who want to see the peace process progress," Mr Maher said during the meetings Wednesday night.

Greece currently chairs the rotating presidency of the European Union. The United Statesis the main sponsorof the peace process.

READ MORE

The US-backed "roadmap", which calls for an independent Palestinian state by 2005, was drafted by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.

The suicide attack in Jerusalem on Wednesday killed 16 people, in addition to the bomber. It was followed by two Israeli raids in the Gaza Strip that left nine dead.

AFP