German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday expressed the hope that US President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo will lead to urgently needed progress in the Middle East peace process.
"The speech is an important signal for urgently needed progress in the Middle East peace process. The challenge now is to restart direct peace talks in the Middle East," said Steinmeier. He pledged that Germany and other European nations will work together with the United States to achieve that goal.
Speaking after meeting with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, Steinmeier also called on the Israeli government to commit itself to the two-state solution.
"We agree with the United States: There is no alternative to the two-state solution. This calls for more resolute and credible steps, including a comprehensive freeze of settlement construction in the West Bank," said the German foreign minister.
He also stressed the need to involve regional parties in seeking solutions to the Middle East conflict.
The Middle East peace will be one of the top issues to be discussed by President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel when they meet in the eastern German city of Dresden on Friday.