Egyptian, Russian foreign ministers address Gaza situation

CAIRO – June 10 2024: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, during the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meetings held on June 10 and 11, said Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson and Director of Public Diplomacy at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A significant portion of the discussions between Shoukry and Lavrov focused on the current crisis in Gaza and ways to resolve it.

Minister Shoukry highlighted the mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar aimed at reaching a deal that would lead to a ceasefire, allowing for the exchange of prisoners and detainees and the delivery of aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza. The ultimate goal is to achieve a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Minister Shoukry welcomed Russia's proposal to hold a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Russia and five Arab countries to discuss ways to resolve the conflict and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. This meeting would also support the political process and revive peace efforts based on relevant international references.

Abu Zeid mentioned that Shoukry expressed Egypt's appreciation for the positive developments in bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Russia. This includes the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the implementation steps of the Dabaa nuclear power plant project.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister also praised Russia's active presidency of the BRICS grouping, emphasizing Egypt's keen interest in participating actively in the meetings convened by the Russian presidency, involving various Egyptian national entities at the ministerial and senior official levels.

The two ministers also discussed several regional issues, notably the developments related to the Ukraine war and various proposals on how to end the conflict. Additionally, they reviewed the latest developments in the Sudanese crisis, with both sides stressing the importance of ending the conflict and preserving Sudan's state institutions and resources.

Abu Zeid concluded by noting that the two ministers agreed to maintain intensive consultations on enhancing bilateral relations between Egypt and Russia. They also agreed to continue discussions on priority topics for the BRICS grouping and to address regional and international challenges of mutual interest.