Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Sunday visiting Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani.
The president expressed appreciation of what he described as ‘close relations’ with Rome, Presidency Spokesman, BassamRadi, said.
He added that the president also underlined Egypt’s keenness to develop these relations further in all fields in the coming period.
Egypt also wants to strengthen coordination and consultations with Italy on means of addressing regional challenges, Radi quoted the Egyptian leader as saying during the meeting with the Italian official.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajani, for his part, expressed honour in meeting President Sisi, Radi said.
He added that the Italian official also pointed out that his visit to Cairo aims to send a clear message about the strength of his country’s historical relations with Egypt.
The Italian government, Tajani said, wants to consolidate and advance relations with Egypt during the next stage, Radi quoted the Italian official as saying to President Sisi during the meeting.
He added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajani also expressed his country’s desire to maintain coordination with Cairo on regional issues of mutual interest, especially in the light of the pivotal role played by Egypt.
Tajani,Radi said, described Egypt as a ‘cornerstone’ of security and stability in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean regions.
The presidency spokesman noted that the meeting reflected mutual interest on the part of both Egypt and Italyto enhance their cooperation in the coming period.
He added that President Sisi and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajanidiscussed ways of pushing trade and investment cooperation forward.
He added that they also discussed means of enhancing joint industrial cooperation, and cooperation in the field of energy security, especially in natural gas, through the strategic partnership between Egypt and the Italian state-owned company, Eni.
The president and the Italian official also discussed agricultural cooperation between their two countries, Radi said.
He added that they also discussed a wide range of regional issues of common interest, including illegal immigration, especially in the light of Egypt’s effective efforts in this framework.
Discussions between the president and the Italian official also focused on the fight against terrorism andextremist ideologies, where Tajanipraised Egypt’s efforts in spreading tolerance and freedom of faith, Radi said.
He quoted Tajani as saying that these efforts had already resonated in Egypt’s regional surroundings.
He noted that the president and the Italian official also discussed the case of Italian researcher, GiulioRegeni, and cooperation to achieve justice on it.
Attending the meeting on the Egyptian side was Foreign Minister, SamehShoukry, and on the Italian side Italian Ambassador to Cairo, Michele Quaroni.
Shoukry and Tajanialso held talks on the situation in the Palestinian territories, Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean.
We discussed means of boosting communication and cooperation in a number of fields, as well as the fight against terrorism and illegal immigration, Foreign Minister Shoukry said at a press briefing, following his talks with the Italian official.
He said Egypt looks forward to cooperating with Italy, describing it as an ‘important European partner’.
The Egyptian state wants to bolster cooperation with the Italian side in the coming period, Foreign Minister Shoukry said.
He referred to the two countries’ recent celebration of the centenary of the appointment of the first Egyptian ambassador to Rome.
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