In Consultations with His Russian Counterpart.. Foreign Minister Emphasizes the Necessity of Activating a Comprehensive Political Process in Syria

Dr. Badr Abdel-Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, received Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, on Friday in Cairo. The two ministers held talks that addressed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, in addition to regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Ambassador Tammam Khalaf, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the two ministers expressed pride in the close relations and strategic partnership linking the two countries and appreciated the increasing momentum witnessed in bilateral relations across various political and economic fields.

The ministers confirmed the importance of continuing joint work to advance ongoing cooperation projects, foremost among them the nuclear power plant in Dabaa and the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. These projects contribute to enhancing Russian investments in Egypt and expanding cooperation between the two sides, as well as strengthening cooperation in tourism by increasing the number of direct flights between the two countries.

Minister Abdel-Aati reviewed the promising investment opportunities in Egypt, especially within the framework of localizing industry and technology transfer. He expressed interest in enhancing Russian investments in Egypt, highlighting the favorable environment Egypt provides to attract foreign investments, particularly in the energy, tourism, transport, and logistics sectors. This contributes to elevating economic and trade relations between the two countries to broader horizons.

The spokesperson added that the consultations included discussions on regional developments, where the two ministers exchanged views on regional issues of common interest, foremost among them the recent developments in the Gaza Strip. Minister Abdel-Aati reviewed Egypt's efforts to support stability and calm in the Gaza Strip, implement the Sharm El-Sheikh peace agreement, facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, and proceed with the implementation of the second phase of the agreement.

He also presented the Egyptian vision for the transitional phase, emphasizing the importance of empowering the international stabilization force, forming a Palestinian technocratic committee in the Gaza Strip as a prelude to the return of the Palestinian Authority, and starting the early recovery and reconstruction process.

The Foreign Minister stressed Egypt's rejection of any measures that would entrench separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip or undermine the prospects for a two-state solution. He expressed the necessity for the international community to play its role in stopping escalation in the West Bank and settler attacks against Palestinian civilians, condemning settlement expansion in the West Bank.

The two ministers also reviewed developments in Sudan, where the Foreign Minister expressed Egypt's deep concern over the ongoing escalation in Sudan and the resulting horrific violations against Sudanese civilians. In this context, he reviewed Egypt's efforts within the framework of the Quad mechanism aimed at reaching a humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire and ensuring the establishment of safe havens and humanitarian corridors to provide security and protection for Sudanese civilians. Minister Abdel-Aati renewed Egypt's position calling for the preservation of Sudan's unity and territorial integrity, rejecting any separation of any part of Sudanese territory, and supporting state institutions. He affirmed that there are red lines that cannot be crossed as this directly affects Egypt's national security.

The meeting also addressed developments in Lebanon and Syria, where the Foreign Minister reviewed Egypt's firm stance supporting Lebanon's unity, sovereignty, security, and stability. He reiterated Egypt's position calling for respect for Syria's territorial unity and sovereignty and rejecting any moves or interventions that could undermine the country's stability, calling for activating a comprehensive political process that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

The consultations included an exchange of views on developments in the Iranian nuclear file, where Minister Abdel-Aati emphasized the importance of continuing efforts aimed at de-escalation, confidence-building, and creating conditions that provide a real opportunity for diplomatic solutions and resuming dialogue to reach a comprehensive agreement on the nuclear file that takes into account the interests of all parties and contributes to achieving regional security and stability.

On another level, the two ministers discussed updates on the Ukrainian crisis, where Minister Abdel-Aati reaffirmed Egypt's firm position calling for continued efforts to reach peaceful settlements to crises through dialogue and diplomatic means that preserve security and stability. He expressed Egypt's readiness to contribute to any effort to resolve this crisis.

For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister conveyed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the President of the Republic, expressing his deep appreciation for the strategic partnership between the two countries and Egypt's active role in the region supporting peace, security, and stability. He confirmed the importance of continuing bilateral consultations and coordination on various issues of mutual interest and expressed his aspiration to enhance partnership and cooperation to serve the interests of both countries and achieve their aspirations for further cooperation.