LONDON

The French foreign minister held separate meetings with his Qatari and Saudi foreign ministers in Davos to discuss developments in the Middle East, including ceasefires in Gaza and Syria.

In a statement on Friday, the French Foreign Ministry said that Jean-Noel Barrot had separate talks with Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.

Both Barrot and Al Thani welcomed the announcement that the Gaza Peace Plan was moving to phase 2 while discussing the announced formation of the Board of Peace, "aimed at resolving conflicts beyond Gaza."

"In this regard, the Minister (Barrot) reiterated the importance of fully implementing UNSC Resolution 2803, and particularly the delivery of humanitarian aid – vital to the people of Gaza – in cooperation with the UN," the statement said.

Barrot also stressed the importance of reestablishing a political horizon based on the two-state solution.

Turning to Syria, Barrot hailed the ceasefire deal signed with YPG/SDF, and once again called on all the parties to abide by it.

The Syrian Defense Ministry announced a four-day ceasefire with YPG/SDF earlier this week.

Meanwhile, during the bilateral talk, the French and Saudi foreign ministers emphasized the need to work toward stability in the Middle East, particularly in light of recent changes to the regional context in Syria, Iran, Palestine and Yemen.

Both Barrot and Al Saud stressed their commitment to Syria's stability and security and hailed the ceasefire agreement.

According to the statement, the pair expressed their desire to contribute to Syria’s recovery and economic development.

The French and Saudi ministers reiterated the need to help strengthen the Lebanese army and "the state monopoly on arms nationwide."

They agreed to continue their consultations ahead of the international conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces, which will take place in Paris on March 5.

Barrot and Al Saud also welcomed the announcement that the Gaza Peace Plan was moving to phase 2.

Last week, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace alongside the approval of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave.

The creation of the board coincided with the launch of phase two of a ceasefire agreement, which halted Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71,000 people and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

The initiative is part of a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and adopted by the UN Security Council under Resolution 2803 last November.