By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Visiting British State Minister for Middle East Affairs Kim Howells affirmed here on Thursday that Palestinians needed to receive assurance that an independent Palestinian state would be established.
In a statement marking the conclusion of his visit to Cairo, Howells affirmed that the Palestinian cause was the core of conflict in the Middle East, adding that the new Quartet envoy Tony Blair was interested in achieving a sustainable peaceful settlement in the region.
He underlined his country's keenness for creating peace in the region, hailing Blair's appointment as the Quartet's envoy in the Middle East due to his long experience and good relations with regional leaders.
He called for putting an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and putting a two-state vision in place.
During his visit, Howells held talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul-Gheit. He described his meeting with the Egyptian minister as "very fruitful," adding that the meeting came a few hours before Abul-Gheit's departure for Israel on a significant mission aimed to finding a solution to the Middle East crisis.
The British minister concluded Thursday his two-day visit to Egypt as part of a regional tour which has taken him to Jordan and will also take him to Libya.