President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Wednesday stressed Egypt’s keenness to consolidate the strategic partnership with the US to continue to strengthen bilateral ties extended over 40 years, particularly at the security and military levels, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.
This partnership has always contributed to efforts that achieve security and stability in the Middle East.
President Sisi made the remark yesterday during his meeting with visiting US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Sisi conveyed his greetings to US President Joe Biden.
Attending the meeting from the Egyptian side were Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri and Head of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel. The American side in the meeting included National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk, Sullivan’s Senior Advisor Ariana Berengaut, NSC Director for North Africa Josh Harris, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Cairo Nicole Shampaine.
According to Spokesman Radi, Sullivan said that the US is looking forward to boosting strategic coordination and co-operation with Egypt over the coming period in light of Egypt’s pivotal and balanced role in the region.
This has become crucial for the success of security, stability, and peace, he said, commending Egypt’s efforts in countering terrorism, and extremist thinking. He also stressed the significance of further promoting bilateral co-operation in this regard over the coming period.
Ambassador Radi said that the meeting discussed developments of regional issues, particularly Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen and Iraq. The two sides agreed on intensifying coordination at the bilateral level, as well as with international partners on the arrangements for the elections in Libya, later this year, in addition to the withdrawal of foreign troops, mercenaries from the country, and the unification of security and military institutions, Radi said.
President Sisi reiterated the importance Egypt pins to the success of the political path, and the withdrawal of foreigners and mercenaries from Libya. Sisi also stressed the paramount importance of holding the national elections in Libya as previously decided on December 21, 2021. Spokesman Radi said.
The effective way to achieve stability in the region is the return of the countries in crisis to the framework of a national state, with its comprehensive concept, President Sisi said.
President Sisi and Sullivan also discussed the latest developments of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in light of the latest UN Security Council presidential statement on the necessity of the three involved parties reaching a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam within a reasonable time frame, in order to achieve the interests of the three parties.
President Sisi confirmed the commitment Egypt demonstrated to the path of negotiations, saying that the international community has to play an influential role to settle the crucial issue. Sisi stressed that Egypt would accept no harm to its water interests, Radi said.
For his part, Sullivan reiterated the US Administration’s commitment to making efforts to ensure Egypt’s water security. He added that the US is working to preserve water and development rights of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.
President Sisi and Sullivan tackled developments of the Palestinian cause and efforts to revive the Middle East peace process. The US senior official highly appreciated Cairo’s role in containing the situation in Gaza, as well as launching an initiative for reconstruction in the Strip, the spokesman said.
President Sisi stressed that settling the Palestinian issue based on the international terms of reference, as well as, maintaining the legitimate Palestinian rights would have a great return on development and change reality in the entire region, thus, opening up fresh prospects for peace, co-operation and development, Ambassador Radi added.