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Egypt says it respects border agreement with Israel

Other News Materials 23 January 2008 19:04 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa ) - Egypt respects its border agreement with the Israelis, whose concerns about border breaches with the Gaza Strip will be addressed, an Egyptian foreign ministry official said Wednesday.

"The Rafah border crossing is run in accordance with a clear treaty, which Egypt respects," Hosam Zaki, the spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry, said in an interview with al-Arabya TV.

Earlier, Israel said it was up to Egypt to solve the problem of the breached border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt in accordance with signed agreements.

Gazan militants breached the border in dozens of places before dawn Wednesday, prompting tens of thousands of Palestinians to pour into Egypt and head for the town of al-Arish, some 50 kilometres from the border, to stock up with food, fuel and other supplies lacking in the Strip because of an Israeli siege.

Israel tightened its siege of Gaza last week, in response to an upsurge in the number rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.

Zaki said Egypt's move to allow Palestinians to cross the border to buy essential food supplies was made without consultations with Israel. ratification process. Issues such as the protection of heavy industry, for instance, have already sparked heated debate within the EU.

And given that the proposed laws still have to be approved by the EU's member states, the commission may well find it has to turn its persuasive powers on its own members before it can put any pressure on the rest of the world.

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