French FM to travel to Middle East on February 3-6

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne will begin a tour of the Middle East on Saturday to look for ways to reduce regional tensions, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Christophe Lemoine.

"The minister will begin his trip on Saturday and will visit Egypt, Jordan and Israel in succession, from where he will go to Ramallah (Palestine). The head of French diplomacy will end his tour in Lebanon," Lemoine said. Sejourne will return to France on February 6, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

According to him, part of the minister's trip was coordinated with the mission of the French President’s special envoy for the Lebanese settlement, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is also planning a visit to Beirut in the near future.