Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Sunday met the visiting French Foreign Minister, Stephane Ségornet, with discussions during the meeting covering the strategic relations between the two countries and regional scene including the situation in Gaza and the developments in the Sudan, Libya and the Red Sea. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri attended the meeting.
At the outset of the meeting, the French foreign minister conveyed to President Sisi the greetings of President Emmanuel Macron. The views then exchanged implied emphasis on the importance of the continuity of wide-scope coordination and co-operation between the two countries, Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.
The discussions pointed out that carrying on with such coordination and co-operation reflects the proximity of visions and interests between the two countries and consolidates their strategic relations especially in light of the multiplicity of areas of economic co-operation, Spokesman Fahmy said.
Special reference was made in this connection to existing co-operation between Egypt and France in the fields of transport, manufacturing and trade, Spokesman Fahmy said, adding that historical cultural relations between the two friendly peoples were also highlighted.
While considering the situation in Gaza, Egypt’s intensive efforts with various partners to achieve a ceasefire in the strip and allow the entry of relief aid to end the humanitarian tragedy Gazans were reviewed, Spokesman Fahmy said. In this connection, he added, emphasis was placed on the need for the international community to undertake its responsibilities for implementing relevant international resolutions.
For his part, Minister Ségornet stressed his country’s keenness on coordinating views and efforts with Egypt in the direction of achieving a sustained ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners and hostages, in light of the stances of both Egypt and France.
These stances, he indicated, reflect an accord of views on the necessity of preventing the expansion of conflict, and activating the two-state solution as basis for a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian cause and restoring security and stability in the Middle East region, Spokesman Fahmy said.
In this connection, the two sides reiterated their utter rejection of any measures or policies that aim to displace Palestinians from their lands, and also stressed the pivotal and irreplaceable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in providing support to the people of the Gaza Strip, particularly in light of the catastrophic humanitarian circumstances they are exposed to and which demand backing from all international mechanisms operating in the relief field.
A number of political files of priority were also considered during the meeting, the spokesman said. In the foremost of these files, he added, were the situation in the Sudan, Libya and the Red Sea. The two sides stressed the keenness on carrying on with consultation and the exchange of views to contribute to bolstering security and peace at the regional and international levels.
