President: Strategic ties with France asset for stability, security in ME

Macron lauds Egypt’s regional weight, developmental achievements

“Cairo for earliest stop to acts of violence, reaching just solution that guarantees Palestinian people’s rights”

The president’s remarks came during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elyse Palace in Paris Monday , Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.

The Egyptian leader arrived in Paris early on Sunday to take part in a high-level conference on Sudan and a summit on financing African economies.

The Paris Conference to Support the Transition in the Sudan was launched Monday with the participation of President Sisi, French President Macron, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Head of the Sudan Transitional Council Abdel Fattah Burhan.

During his meeting with President Macron, President Sisi expressed aspiration to maximise coordination and consultation with the French side during the coming period on various regional issues as well as on bilateral co-operation, especially in the security and military fields, in light of the great challenges at the regional level.

For his part, the French president welcomed President Sisi’s new visit to Paris, stressing France’s appreciation of Egypt on both official and popular levels, and its high estimation of historical ties between the two friendly countries.

President Macron also affirmed France’s commitment to strengthening the process of bilateral relations in various fields, and supporting Egypt’s capabilities and efforts under the leadership of President Sisi to combat terrorism and extremist ideology and to achieve security and stability in the entire region.

The two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen the frameworks of bilateral cooperation between the two countries at various levels, especially at the economic and commercial levels by increasing the volume of French investments in Egypt especially since France is one of Egypt’s most important partners in the European continent.

Macron praised in this regard the successful steps of the comprehensive development process in Egypt and the major national projects underway, stressing France’s keenness to support Egypt’s development efforts in all fields through the exchange of expertise and joint investment.

The two sides also reviewed the developments of the Palestinian cause and ways to revive the peace process in light of recent developments, Spokesman Radi said.

The French president expressed his country’s great appreciation for the relevant Egyptian efforts, voicing aspiration to continue consultations with Egypt in this regard.

President Sisi affirmed Egypt’s firm position of calling for an end to acts of violence as soon as possible and reaching a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of their independent state in accordance with international frames of reference.

The Macron-Sisi summit also featured discussions on a number of regional files, especially including the developments in the east Mediterranean, Libya and Syria, Spokesman Radi said.

President Sisi emphasised in this regard that there is no way to resolve these crises except through political solutions in a manner that preserves the territorial integrity of these countries and the integrity of their national institutions, thereby providing the security foundation for combating terrorist organisations and preventing their elements from shifting to other countries in the region.

For his part, President Macron expressed France’s aspiration to intensify coordination with Egypt on Middle East issues, especially given Egypt’s political weight in its region, praising in this context the efforts made by Egypt to support reaching political solutions to existing crises.

The issue of the Renaissance Dam was also considered during the summit, with President Sisi stressing Egypt’s abidance by its water rights through reaching a fair and binding legal agreement that guarantees clear rules for filling and operating the dam and realises the common interests of all parties, Spokesman Radi said.

President Sisi also stressed that Egypt will not accept harming its water interests, the spokesman added.