text: that they will be willing to support the effort which has given rise to it. 27. The PRESIDENT: The next speaker is the representative of Egypt. 1 invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. 28. Mr. ABDEL MEGUID (Egypt): Sir, I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your’ assumption of the presidency of the Council for the month of July, at a crucial juncture of events which have a considerable bearing on international peace and security. I should like also to convey, through you, to the people and the Government of Guyana the greetings of the Egyptian people and Government and their best wishes for progress and prosperity. 29. I wish also to seize this occasion to express my delegation’s appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Luc dc La Bnrrc de Nanteuil. of France. who carried out 3 his mandate as President of the Council last month in an excellent manner. 30. I do not propose to add to what we all know about the Middle East problem except to reaffirm what has become a universal outcry, a unanimous stand and a world-wide consensus: that the problem of the Middle East will continue to defy settlement unless and until a just solution to the Palestinian question has been achieved. 31, The serious situation we are facing in Lebanon is a case in point. It is a situation which has arisen from the continued Israeli denial of the rights of the Palestinian people, on the one hand, and the aggres- sion committed by Israel against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Leb- anon, on the other. 32. Egypt, the first-or let me say the only-Arab country to recognize Israel and maintain normal 
analysis: The text appears to be a diplomatic statement discussing international relations, politics, and conflict resolution, specifically in the Middle East region. The speaker is addressing the United Nations Security Council and expressing Egypt's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its impact on the situation in Lebanon.