Ali: Egypt, France obsessed with each other

Renowned writer, Abdelrahim Ali, who is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors of al-Bawaba News and the Centre for Middle East Studies in Paris (CEMO), welcomed Friday participants in the seminar held by the centre in the French capital, titled 'Egypt … Dawn of Conscience'.

He thanked the guests of the centre and the seminar, who included Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Essa, leading Egyptologist, Zahi Hawass, and Egypt's Ambassador to France, Alaa Youssef.

The seminar was organized at the ancient French Le Creon hotel which overlooks an ancient Egyptian obelisk.

It is held on the side-lines of the opening of the Ramses II Exhibition at the Grand Halle de la Villette. The exhibition will last for five months.

A host of chief editors of French newspapers attend the seminar, along with several French MPs, senior politicians and Egyptologists.

Ali said the return of the exhibition of King Ramses II, the great King of Egypt, to Paris, 47 years after it was held in the French capital in 1976, should invite attention to the importance of knowing what that event means.

The return of the exhibition, he added, marks the return of the umbilical cord that has been tying Egypt and France together for decades.

"French obsession with Egypt was always met with Egyptian obsession with France," the CEMO head said.

He added that the road had always been paved for good relations between the two countries over the ages, despite some differences between them.

"This is especially true, given the fact that the two countries are fundamental pillars in their respective regions," Ali said.