UN chief in Cairo for talks with Mosri: presidency

CAIRO - Agence France-Presse

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) shakes hands with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah November 21, 2012. REUTERS Photo

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Cairo on Nov. 21 and went straight into talks with President Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian leader's office said, amid efforts to broker a truce in Gaza.
 
Ban has been shuttling between Egypt, Israel and the West Bank since coming to the region on Monday, in a bid to bolster the Egypt-mediated ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza-Strip.

Clinton arrives in Cairo for Gaza truce talks

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Cairo today for talks with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, an airport official said, amid ongoing efforts to reach a truce deal in Gaza.
 
She is expected to go straight into a meeting with her Egyptian counterpart Mohammed Kamel Amr and with Morsi, who is playing a key role in mediating a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Clinton's visit comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed an bringing an end to the conflict which has killed over 130 people in a week.
 
She arrived from Israel where she held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while also travelling to the West Bank city of Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.
 
During her Israel stopover, Clinton met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon over the Egypt-mediated deal.
 
Hamas officials were locked into talks with Egyptian intelligence officials overnight to discuss the terms of the truce, an Egyptian source close to the talks told AFP on condition of anonymity.
 
Israel's offensive, launched on November 14 with the targeted killing of a Hamas military chief, has killed at least 136 Palestinians, while five Israelis, including a soldier, have been killed in rocket attacks.
 
A senior Hamas official told AFP in Cairo that a key sticking point in truce talks was the timing of when Israel would begin easing its six-year blockade of Gaza.
 
Netanyahu had told Clinton on Tuesday night that he was ready to agree to a "long-term solution" as long as the rocket attacks from Gaza stopped.