President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received a telephone call on Sunday from French President Emmanuel Macron, during which the two leaders discussed ways to further consolidatethe distinguished ties between their nations.
During the call, President Sisi voiced pride the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and France and highlighted the growing momentum in bilateral relations, Presidency Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said.
Sisi also noted the warm public reception accorded to President Macron during his recent visit to Egypt to attend the inauguration of the new headquarters of Senghor University in Alexandria. He said the visit provided a further demonstration of the unique nature of Egyptian-French relations at both the official and popular levels.
For his part, Macron expressed appreciation for Sisi’s efforts to achieve comprehensive development in Egypt and praised his commitment to boosting Egyptian-French cooperation across all areas of mutual interest, El-Shennawy added.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments. Sisi praised the close alignment between Egyptian and French positions on a number of issues of mutual concern and welcomed France’s support for efforts to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and resolve the crisis in Lebanon. He also outlined Egypt’s vision and ongoing diplomatic efforts on both fronts.
In addition, Sisi referred to Egypt’s intensive contacts with the parties concerned in support of efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement between the United States and Iran that would prevent a renewed escalation and help restore security and stability across the region and the Gulf states, according to the spokesman.
The Egyptian president stressed that Egypt’s position is grounded in the principles of international law and respect for the sovereignty of states and the interests of their peoples.
Macron, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s efforts, and those of Sisi personally, to restore security and stability in the region.
He also reviewed France’s efforts to promote lasting peace and prevent the Middle East from descending into further instability, stressing the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and ensuring freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway, El-Shennawy said.
The two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination and intensive consultations between their nations in support of regional security and stability, El-Shennawy said.
