Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met today with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who is visiting Egypt, to discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest, as well as ways to strengthen bilateral relations.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that the two ministers exchanged views on regional issues of common concern, particularly the latest developments in the Gaza Strip. Abdelatty outlined Egypt's efforts to support stability and de-escalation in Gaza, implement the Sharm El-Sheikh peace agreement, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Strip, and move towards implementing the second phase of the agreement.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister also presented his country's vision for the transitional phase, emphasizing the importance of empowering the international stabilization force and forming a Palestinian technocratic committee in the Gaza Strip as a prelude to the return of the Palestinian Authority and the commencement of early recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Abdelatty stressed his country's rejection of any measures that would entrench the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip or undermine the two-state solution. He emphasized the need for the international community to play its role in halting the escalation of violence in the West Bank and settler attacks against Palestinian civilians, condemning settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Regarding developments in Sudan, the Egyptian Foreign Minister expressed his country's deep concern over the continued escalation of violence and the resulting horrific violations against Sudanese civilians. Abdelatty reviewed Egypt's efforts within the framework of the Quartet mechanism aimed at achieving a humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire and ensuring the establishment of safe havens and humanitarian corridors to provide security and protection for Sudanese civilians. He reiterated Egypt's position calling for the preservation of Sudan's unity and territorial integrity, preventing the secession of any part of Sudanese territory, and supporting state institutions. He also emphasized that there are red lines that cannot be crossed, as doing so directly affects Egyptian national security.
Regarding developments in Lebanon and Syria, the Egyptian Foreign Minister reviewed his country's position supporting the unity, sovereignty, security, and stability of Lebanon. He also called for respect for the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory and rejected any actions or interventions that could undermine the country's stability. He further called for the activation of a comprehensive political process that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people.
On developments in the Iranian nuclear file, Abdelatty stressed the importance of continuing efforts aimed at de-escalation, confidence-building, and creating the conditions necessary for a genuine opportunity for diplomatic solutions and the resumption of dialogue. The goal is to reach a comprehensive agreement on the nuclear issue that takes into account the interests of all parties and contributes to achieving regional security and stability.
With regard to the latest developments in the Ukrainian crisis, the Egyptian Foreign Minister reiterated his country's position calling for continued efforts to reach peaceful settlements to crises through dialogue and diplomatic means, in a way that preserves security and stability. He expressed Egypt's readiness to contribute to any effort to resolve this crisis.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, the two ministers emphasized the importance of continuing joint efforts to advance ongoing cooperation projects, most notably the nuclear power plant in El Dabaa and the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This will contribute to boosting Russian investments in Egypt and expanding cooperation between the two sides, as well as enhancing tourism cooperation by increasing the number of direct flights between the two countries.
In this context, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed his deep appreciation for the strategic partnership between the two countries and for Egypt's active role in the region in supporting peace, security, and stability. He stressed the importance of continued bilateral consultation and coordination on various issues of mutual interest.