Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdel-Aati and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks in Riyadh, on Monday, as part of close consultation and coordination between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia was the final leg of Abdel-Aati’s tour which took him to several Arab countries in the region.
Minister Abdel-Aati stressed Egypt’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and stressed Cairo’s firm rejection and condemnation of attacks targeting Saudi territory and other Arab states, according to a statement on the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s website, on Tuesday.
He also said that there is no justification for such acts, adding that any infringement on the Kingdom’s sovereignty constitutes a direct threat to Egyptian and Arab national security.
The two ministers discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions and reviewed the grave repercussions of the ongoing military escalation.
Minister Abdel-Aati warned against relying on military options, saying this would only aggravate the crisis and widen the conflict, and stressed the need for an immediate halt to “reprehensible attacks” and for prioritising diplomacy, dialogue and reason to prevent the region from sliding into widespread chaos.
In addition, the two chief diplomats discussed ways to consolidate the Arab national security.
Abdel-Aati emphasised the urgent need to develop a practical framework for collective Arab and regional security, establish mechanisms for implementation, and initiate security arrangements at the regional level, whether within the Arab League or in co-operation with non-Arab regional actors. He described this as a strategic necessity to addressing unprecedented challenges to Arab state sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the two sides agreed to build on the momentum in bilateral relations, to enhance economic partnerships and expand co-operation across various fields in a manner that supports development and prosperity for peoples in both nations.
