Cairo, Nov 17 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, held consultations, focusing on a US-backed draft resolution concerning the security arrangements in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone conversation on Sunday, Abdelatty underscored the need for a UN Security Council decision to firmly establish a ceasefire and foster the necessary environment for achieving a just and comprehensive peace, according to a statement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry.

He stressed the importance of proceeding with the full implementation of a ceasefire plan on Gaza put forward in September, describing it as a practical roadmap toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Egyptian minister also detailed the preparations currently underway for an international conference for early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.

For its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lavrov and Abdelatty discussed the US draft resolution on Gaza and Russia's related proposals during the phone call.

The two sides discussed ongoing debates at the UN Security Council on "the US draft resolution on Gaza and related Russian proposals," read the statement, adding that "a shared view was expressed on the importance of a long-term settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the well-known international legal framework."

According to the statements, the two ministers also discussed bilateral relations and Iran's nuclear program.

The United States is pressing the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution that "welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace," a transitional governing body for Gaza, which will be chaired by US President Donald Trump.

/IANS