Xinhua
July 2, 2012 - 12:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-07/02/c_131690126.htm


During the inauguration of Egypt' s newly elected president last weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoy met with Egyptian high-level military and intelligence officials in a secret visit to Cairo, local media reported on Monday.

Yitzhak Molcho met with Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces, and director of Egyptian military intelligence, according to the report.

The meetings mainly focused on cooperation between the Israeli and Egyptian security forces in order to strengthen control over the chaotic Sinai Peninsula, which has been witnessing increasing violence since the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

A spokesman from the Netanyahu's bureau would neither confirm nor deny the details of the report. "Molcho travels a lot as part of his position, and we would not like to take notice to the content of his trips," he said.

During his visit, Molcho reportedly delivered a personal letter from Netanyahu to Mohamed Morsi, urging the new Egyptian president to keep the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

There has been concerns in Israel over Morsi's intentions regarding the Israel-Egypt peace, as he is from the hard-line Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, a party which in the past opposed any cooperation with Israel.

Morsi, who was sworn in last Saturday, emphasized that Egypt is committed to keep international treaties and agreements intact. " We have diplomatic and commercial relations, both of which are founded on the peace treaty," he said.

In March, the Egyptian parliament unanimously approved a document demanding "the expulsion from Egypt of the Israeli ambassador (Yaakov Amitai) and the recall of Egypt's envoy from Tel Aviv."




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