Statement

The Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs(ECFA), one of the Egyptian civil society organizations, expresses its deep regret over the content of the statement of the leaders of the Group of Seven, meeting in Canada, yesterday, June 16, on peace and stability in the Middle East, which contains a serious flaw in its approach to the Israeli/Iranian conflict, whether in terms of its assertion that “Israel has the right to defend itself” or that “Iran is the main source of regional instability and terrorism.” The Council stresses that such an approach ignores the facts, is selective and blatantly hypocritical, and will not contribute in any way to the restoration of security and stability in the region and to reaching a fair agreement that guarantees sustainable peace in the region.     

   In the above context, the Council appreciates the statement of the Foreign Ministers of 20 Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, issued yesterday, June 16, which rejects and condemns the Israeli attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran since the dawn of June 13, as well as other practices that violate international law and the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and the need to respect the territorial integrity of states, the principles of good neighborliness, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.    

   The Council also welcomes the need for a speedy return to the track of negotiations, as the only way to reach a sustainable agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, and the need to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, in addition to the need not to target nuclear facilities subject to IAEA safeguards, and for the latter to assume its responsibility in this regard to ensure respect for international law and international humanitarian law.