Biden, Mubarak discuss ways to lift Gaza blockade (2nd Roundup)

Jun 7, 2010, 15:46 GMT

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt - US Vice President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak on Monday discussed ways of lifting Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.

'The status quo is unsustainable for all sides. It is vital to make progress in the proximity talks between Israelis and Palestinians to enable the parties to move to direct negotiations as soon as possible,' said Biden.

The meeting between Biden and Mubarak met in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, tackled developments in Israeli-Palestinian indirect negotiations and the consequences of last week's Israeli raid on a flotilla carrying aid to the Gaza, which left nine dead.

Organizers had hoped the so-called Freedom Flotilla, with 700 activists and 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid on board, would have been a successful attempt to break the Gaza blockade imposed by Israel after Hamas seized control of the enclave in June 2007.

'In addition, we are consulting closely with Egypt, as well as our other partners, on new ways to address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza,' Biden said in a statement.

The talks came after Biden defended 'Israel's right to intercept the ships,' saying it had 'an absolute right to deal with its security interest.'

Egypt, which was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, said Israel should be 'ashamed of itself' for the deadly attack.

Biden and Mubarak also discussed Iran's nuclear file, the formation of a new government in Iraq, as well as developments in Yemen, Somalia and Sudan.

Biden was scheduled to visit Egypt in March, but the visit was cancelled after Mubarak went to Germany for gall bladder surgery.

Biden's visit to Egypt marked the first leg of an Africa tour that will also take the US vice president to Kenya and on to South Africa, where he would attend the opening of the 2010 World Cup on Friday.