Bishop raises reporter's case with Egypt

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been lobbying her Egyptian counterparts to free Australian journalist Peter Greste.

Greste, a reporter with the Al Jazeera television network, was arrested in Cairo on December 29.

The foreign correspondent and two colleagues were accused of spreading false news and supporting the black-listed Muslim Brotherhood.

Ms Bishop, who is in Geneva for a nuclear security summit, raised the case with the Egyptian deputy foreign minister Hatem Seif El-Nasr on the sidelines of the official talks this week.

"I emphasised that it was a matter of public concern in Australia and it did not support Egypt's claim to be returning to democracy if they were suppressing the ability of journalists to do their work," Ms Bishop told Sky News.

Australia had asked governments in the region closer to Egypt to also make representations.

Ms Bishop hopes to have Greste returned to Australia as soon as court proceedings are over.

Greste will spend at least another week in a Cairo prison after being denied bail during his third hearing.