FM spokesman comments on Mottaki-Erakat meeting in Egypt

A recent meeting between Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat in Egypt was a “normal issue which takes place on the sidelines of all international gatherings," FM spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks commenting on the Mottaki-Erakat meeting which took place on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh last Thursday, said a statement released by the Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department.

“Holding separate meetings by participating delegations of all international gatherings is a normal part of all international events,” said the spokesman.


“During the meeting, Mr. Erakat called for Tehran’s help for the unity of the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas movements and the Iranian side stressed in response that supporting unity of all Palestinian groups is the permanent part of Iran’s policy” towards the Palestinian aspirations, Qashqavi stressed.

He added that Mottaki had also a separate meeting with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad al-Maliki on the sidelines of the NAM summit.

According to the spokesman, in both meetings, the Iranian FM stressed that Tehran would continue its efforts to help bring about unity of all the Palestinian groups to assist materialization of the Palestinian aspirations.

Qashqavi also said that it was not the first time that Mottaki had met with a Palestinian official on the sidelines of an international gathering.

Two years ago, the foreign minister had also held joint meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on the sidelines of an international meeting in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, Qashqavi recalled.

He stressed those meetings were conducted to speed up the trend of unity among different Palestinian groups.

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