CENTCOM commander praises Mohammed Naguib military base

CAIRO – 13 September 2013: Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Joseph L. Votel, praised the Mohammed Naguib military base describing it as a “great thing” in television statements Wednesday.

He added that he met President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi three times since taking office in his new position. “Cairo and Washington are working and collaborating together to develop their relations and face challenges together,” Votel said.

On September 10, Votel met with Sisi in Cairo to discuss bilateral military cooperation and international counterterrorism efforts, according to a statement issued by the presidency.

Several topics were discussed during their meeting including the importance of Egyptian-U.S. military relations.

According to the statement, Votel and Sisi welcomed the launching of the joint Egyptian-U.S. military trainings called the “Bright Star”, which reflects the deep relations between the two countries especially in light of the current challenges in the region.

During the meeting, Sisi illustrated Egypt’s efforts to combat terrorism by adopting a comprehensive strategy to uproot terrorism, taking into consideration the cultural, social and economic dimensions in parallel with military and security efforts.