Egyptian FM receives phone call from Russian counterpart

CAIRO – 18 December 2022: Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry received Saturday a phone call from his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov tackling "all aspects of bilateral relations, including the joint economic projects executed by Russia in Egypt."

The ministry's statement indicated that the two ministers also conferred over regional and international developments. Minister Shokry presented Egypt's stance on Middle Eastern affairs, and the outcomes of the communications made by the country to strengthen stability and peace in the region.

Shoukry met Lavrov in September on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, as they discussed the developments of the Russia-Ukraine War.

Shoukry reiterated Egypt's advocacy for dialogue and diplomatic means to attain a solution, given the negative repercussions of the war on the global economy, particularly the energy and food sectors.

The ministers discussed the overall status of bilateral relations between Egypt and Russia as well as regional affairs. The talks covered the Libyan crisis, the developments of the Palestinian cause, the situation in Syria and Iraq, and the importance of working to achieve stability in the Middle East.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi received in July Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov at Al Itihadiyah Presidential Palace to discuss bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern.

The minister delivered the greetings of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed appreciation for Egypt's initiative to form a contact group at the Arab League with the aim of brokering a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis, and that visited Moscow earlier this year.

Putin also expressed in the message his eagerness for consolidating bilateral ties with Egypt within the framework of the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in Sochi in 2018, and that is mostly embodied in the joint under-progress developmental projects.

In turn, President Sisi asked Lavrov to deliver his greetings to Russian counterpart, expressing appreciation for the current fruitful cooperation spearheaded by the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, and the Russian Industrial Zone (RIZ) located at the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCzone).

Minister Lavrov informed President Sisi with the latest developments of the Ukrainian crisis and relevant Russian moves on the international scale. In that context, the Egyptian president asserted the salience of prioritizing dialogue, and political solutions, stressing Egypt's readiness to back that orientation within the international community.

The meeting also tackled the supply of grains and food, as well as the impact of the crisis on the oil and gas sector, as indicated by the Egyptian Presidency's press statement.

The meeting was attended by Lavrov's deputy, Russian ambassador to Cairo, Egyptian minister of foreign affairs, and deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry.