President Abdel Fattah El Sisi highlighted the importance of the US role in resolving the crisis of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), asserting Egypt’s adherence to its water rights by reaching an equitable and legally binding agreement that guarantees the country’s water security and achieves the common interests of all parties.
The president’s remarks came as he received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, Head of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel as well as US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, US Ambassador in Cairo Jonathan Cohen, US Deputy Secretary of Chief of Staff Thomas Sullivan and Ambassador Barbara A. Leaf of the US National Security Council.
President Sisi said during the meeting that the Ethiopian dam crisis can be solved through clear rules for the process of filling and operating the dam.
For his part, Secretary of State Blinken renewed the US Administration’s commitment to exerting efforts to reach an agreement that preserves water and development rights for all parties.
On bilateral relations, President Sisi underscored the extended strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States and its pivotal role in supporting security and stability in the Middle East region. He also voiced aspiration to enhance coordination and consultation between the two sides on various political and security issues and regional files.
Blinken, meanwhile, stressed his country’s interest in strengthening strategic relations with Egypt as well as intensifying coordination and joint consultations on all Middle East issues, in light of the effective political weight Egypt enjoys in the Middle East and its contribution under the leadership of President Sisi to achieving the desired stability for all peoples of the region.
President Sisi and Secretary Blinken also agreed to strengthen coordination and bilateral consultations between the two countries with regard to consolidating the ceasefire agreement reached between the Palestinians and Israelis as well as launching the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip based on the Egyptian initiative in this regard.
The US secretary of state appreciated the strenuous Egyptian efforts in this regard to broker a ceasefire between the Palestinians and Israelis.
For his part, President Sisi praised the US full support for Egyptian efforts to solve the Palestinian cause, pointing out that the recent developments confirm the importance of working immediately to resume direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, with effective US involvement, to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.
The president stressed Egypt’s keenness to co-operate closely with the United States in this regard as well as Egypt’s firm stance to reach a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people based on international terms of reference.
The issue of combating terrorism and extremist ideology was also reviewed during the meeting, with President Sisi affirming the will of the state, government and people to continue relentless efforts to confront this scourge and consolidate the firm principles of citizenship, brotherhood, coexistence and freedom of belief.
He also stressed the importance of continuing coordination and joint co-operation with the United States to support these efforts.
For his part, the US secretary of state praised the success of the decisive Egyptian efforts in this regard during the past period and the burden it shoulders in combating terrorism. He also expressed the US Administration’s support for those efforts and affirmed that Egypt is a central partner in confronting the challenge of cross-border terrorism.
The meeting also tackled the developments in the situation in Libya and the transitional phase that is currently underway, that will lead to hold election next December.
President Sisi and Blinken agreed on the importance of supporting that distinct political stage in the history of Libya and highlighted the necessity of the departure of mercenaries and armed foreign militias from Libya as this will contribute to achieving the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people, preserving the unity of the Libyan territories and the integrity of its national institutions.
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