Egypt's Foreign Minister sets off on European tour

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri left Cairo on Sunday headed for Berlin, the first stop of a three-country European tour.

The tour will focus on economic cooperation and developments in the Middle East, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Shoukri will mainly be meeting politicians, though he will hold a consultation with one security official – the security adviser to Italy’s President Napolitano.

In Berlin, Shoukri is due to meet with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Muller, the ministry said in a statement.

The top Egyptian diplomat will then head to Paris, where he plans to meet with President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, it added.

He will later fly to Italy for talks with the Italian President’s security adviser, the Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini and other officials.

The statement notes that Italy is Egypt’s largest European trade partner - Germany, France and Italy have consistently been among Egypt's top partners for imports.

The talks will touch on economic cooperation and the situation in Libya, Syria and Iraq as well as the Palestinian territories, the statement noted.

During the tour, the minister will hold three separate interviews with leading German, French and Italian media outlets, the ministry said.