photo courtesy of FM's spokes person Twitter account
CAIRO – 26 July 2017: Forging Minister Sameh Shoukru discussed several issues with French Senate Foreign Affairs and defense Committee Chairman Christian Cambon, during their meeting Wednesday including the Qatari dispute, according to Spokes person Ahmed Abo Zaid Wednesday.
Also, Confronting terrorism, disputes and wars in Libya, Syria, Yemen and Iraq came on the top of discussions list between the two parties.
During the meeting, Shoukry said that the Egyptian government is following the terrorist entities and groups inside Libya, as they are considered a ‘real threat to Cairo’s national security,’ as many of the terrorists affiliated to them cross to Egypt through the Western borders.
Shoukry encouraged the French government to take further steps in the negotiations to reach ‘compatible solutions’ regarding the situation.
Regarding the Qatari, Shoukry explained the real reasons behind the dispute origins. “All the attempts have failed regarding preventing the Qatari government from backing extremists and terrorists,” Shoukry said during the meeting.
He added that Doha’s government has been interfering in the Egyptian interior affairs since 1996, “They backed the terrorists groups after our rejection to the ‘Islamic political movement’ to destabilize the state’s stability.”
“Accordingly, Egypt had to cooperate with its allies to Push Qatar back,” Shoukry told Cambon.
Furthermore, Shoukry expressed his ‘sorrow’ regarding the governments that still refuse to admit the Qatari threat as a result of backing terrorism.
On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen decided to cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, hurling allegations that the state supports terrorism. Ports and airspace were cut off to Qatari vessels.
On June 6, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Sabah started a tour that included Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in an attempt to mediate between the three countries.
A list of 13-demands was given to Doha’s government by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain for reconciliation which includes the closing of Al Jazeera broadcasting; however, Qatar’s response was described as “negative” by the four countries’ foreign ministers in a joint statement released after holding a summit in Cairo July 5.
Another meeting is suppose to be held later today according to Abo Zaid, with French National Assembly, Claude Bartolone to discuss the two countries relations and cooperation regarding the national and international cases.
On July 23, Foreign Minister Shoukry departed to the Belgian capital, Brussels to head the Egyptian delegation to a meeting with the European Union (EU). The meeting, held for the first time since April 2010 discussed relations between the Egyptian government and the EU.
The EU delegation was headed by Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the European Commission, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abo Zeid.
After the meetings, Shoukry left to Paris on Tuesday to meet with officials on boosting ‘bilateral relations between the two countries.’
photo courtesy of FM's spokes person Twitter account
Several meeting are supposed to take place later during the visit between Shoukry and several UNESCO officials to seek their backing of Egyptian candidate Moushira Khatab for the Director-General post.
Khatab was nominated by Egypt on July 19, 2016 for the post of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General at the elections to be held in 2017.
She is also the official candidate of Africa to UNESCO. Khatab is one of nine candidates running for the position which could make her the second woman and first Egyptian citizen to win that post.
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