FM: Egypt protects its neighboring countries from terrorism

CAIRO – 22 November 2017: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Tuesday that Qatar has still not agreed to a framework that includes six broad “principles” designated to set the parameters for future talks on how the crisis should be resolved.

Speaking to TV host Ahmed Moussa on his program “On My Responsibility”, Shoukry stressed that Egypt cooperates with its neighboring countries, aiming to protect them from terrorist threats. He also pointed out that Egypt is at the forefront of combating terrorism.

Furthermore, Shouky noted that “Egypt’s people have suffered greatly under terrorism, attacking and killing innocent citizens. Consequently, the international community should impose sanctions on the countries financing terrorism and consider them as a part of terrorist organizations. We hope that the international community increases its effort in battling terrorism.”

The Arab countries (Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain) issued six principles in a joint statement in Cairo:

1.Commitment to combat extremism and terrorism in all its forms and to prevent their financing or the provision of safe havens.

2.Prohibiting all acts of incitement and all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred and violence.

3.Full commitment to Riyadh Agreement 2013 and the supplementary agreement and its executive mechanism for 2014 within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States.

4.Commitment to all the outcomes of the Arab-Islamic-U.S. Summit held in Riyadh in May 2017.

5.To refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of States and from supporting illegal entities.

6.The responsibility of all States in the international community to confront all forms of extremism and terrorism as a threat to international peace and security.

Since the ousting of former President Mohammed Morsi in 2013 due to his affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar has not only mobilized its media outlets to attack the Egyptian government but also hosts a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders who have fled Egypt.

On June 5, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Libya and Yemen decided to cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, hurling allegations that the state supports terrorism. Ports and airspaces were cut off to all Qatari vessels.