The French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian is in Cairo this Sunday, November 8 for talks with a view to a "
work of appeasement
" vis-à-vis the Arab world on the subject of the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
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He will meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, his counterpart Sameh Choukry, as well as the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb who had strongly criticized France for its defense of freedom of expression.
The minister "will
continue the work of explanation and appeasement initiated by the President of the Republic,
" said the Quai d'Orsay in a press release.
In a speech at the end of October, Ahmed al-Tayeb estimated that "
the fact that insulting religions and attacking their sacred symbols in the name of freedom of expression is a double intellectual standard and a call to hatred
".
For his part, President Sisi had defended, in a speech on the occasion of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on October 28, “
religious values
” rejecting “
insults to the prophet
”.
Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit will also provide an opportunity for discussions on the Libyan issue and the Middle East peace process.
Emmanuel Macron had defended the freedom to caricature by promising not to "
renounce caricatures
", during a national tribute to Professor Samuel Paty, beheaded by an Islamist on October 16, for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
Across the Muslim world, worshipers reacted with anger to the words of Emmanuel Macron, whose effigies and portraits were burned during demonstrations.
And a campaign has been launched in several Muslim countries to boycott French products.