Egypt

I am very pleased to be joined by you.

Our joint efforts will, I hope, make a great contribution to ongoing mediation efforts by the parties in the region to end the violence. I would like to thank [United States] Secretary [of State John] Kerry for his active engagement and tireless commitment for the peace and security in the Middle East and, in particular, in Gaza and Israel.

Our joint efforts are rooted in three mutually reinforcing efforts.

Assalamu Alaikum. Good evening.

I am very pleased to visit Egypt as again as SG and I am very much pleased to visit Egypt so soon after the inauguration of President [Abdel Fattah Al] Sisi as President of Egypt and also [Foreign] Minister [Sameh Hassan] Shokry [Selim]. We have known each other a long time and I am very pleased to work together with Minister Shokry.

Prime Minister Hesham Mohamed Qandil, Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Al Salam Alikom.

Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your hospitality and flexibility of receiving me and my delegation today. I believe that we are meeting [under] very difficult and trying circumstances, I am talking about the violence and conflict in Gaza.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Shukran and Salaam Aleikum.

Secretary-General [Nabil] Elaraby and I had a very constructive meeting this morning. It is important that the League of Arab States and the United Nations work closely together and I appreciate his leadership on many serious issues.

I am visiting the region because of the alarming situation in Gaza.

I am here to appeal personally for an end to the violence and to offer my help in ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalam Aleikom,

It's a great pleasure, and good to be back in Cairo after three weeks.

I am pleased to be joined this time by these distinguished leaders from international regional organizations. I thank them once again for working to resolve the crisis in Libya, and I thank Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa, for hosting us and co-chairing our conference.

Excellencies,

I thank the League of Arab States for co-convening this meeting with the United Nations. And I thank all of you for accepting our invitation.

The situation in Libya is still very complex. Yet we can be greatly encouraged by the international community's response.

The Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973 sent strong messages mandating “all necessary measures” to protect the civilian population in Libya.