President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has stressed Egypt’s full support for Libya’s Presidential Council and National Unity Government in their tasks to restore security and stability during the transitional phase with a view to holding national elections as are scheduled for December this year.
The president’s remark came as he received Sunday Libyan Foreign Minister Naglaa al-Manqoush in the presence of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri and the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel, PresidencySpokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi Said.
The holding of national elections, President Sisi emphasised, is an essential step on the path to a political settlement of the Libyan crisis through activating the free will of the Libyan people. In this connection, President Sisi stressed Egypt’s full support of Libya on the political track, especially considering that Libya’s national security is an extension of Egypt’s national security, Spokesman Radi said.
President Sisi also placed emphasis on Egypt’s firm position of preserving the territorial integrity of Libya, safeguarding the capabilities of the brotherly Libyan people, and non-interference in Libya’s domestic affairs.
The president welcomed Minister Manqoush’s visit to Cairo and lauded her successes in restoring the status and standing of Libyan diplomatic action. On her moves with all international parties concerned with the Libyan issue and her emphasis that Libya’s regaining of its sovereignty begins with the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries, President Sisi asserted Egypt’s full backing to such moves at all bilateral, regional and international levels.
For her part, the Libyan foreign minister stressed that the Libyan government highly esteems and takes pride in the pioneering role that Egypt under the wise and judicious leadership of President Sisi is undertaking in the region, Spokesman Radi said.
She also paid tribute to Egypt’s tireless and sincere efforts to support its brothers in Libya, adding that such efforts emanate from the principles of maintaining Libya’s territorial integrity, restoring security and stability and preserving the national institutions of the Libyan state, including the unification of the military institution, ending foreign interference and the exit of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya.
This comes in addition to establishing the principles of dialogue between the Libyan factions, supporting national reconciliation in preparation for holding fair and transparent elections and putting an end to bloodshed through the ceasefire provided for under the Cairo Declaration, she said.
Minister Manqoush praised the support Egypt is lending to the activation and consolidation of efforts to settle the Libyan crisis in various political, military and economic tracks, in light of the historical considerations and bonds between the two countries, the spokesman said.
She also expressed appreciation for the leadership, government and people of Egypt for having stood by their Libyan brothers in managing the transitional phase, adding that she is looking forward for the continuation of such assistance during the coming stage so as to support the interim government in shouldering its historical responsibility.
The meeting of President Sisi with the visiting Libyan foreign minister also featured a review of the prospects for co-operation between the two countries in various fields and the preparations for convening Egyptian Libyan higher committee.
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