On Saturday Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived for a two-day visit to Cairo.
Abbas is scheduled to discuss with Tantawi some joint issues, as Egypt is currently communicating with Israeli authorities to implement the second phase of the prisoner swap deal in which the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released for the freedom of 1027 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo Barakat al-Farra said Abbas and Tantawi will discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly in light of Abbas' request for Palestinian statehood at the UN. He said Abbas also came to thank Tantawi for Egypt's role in achieving the prisoner swap deal and for supporting the Palestinian cause.
