Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry recieves U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at Tahrir Palace, central Cairo on Feb 12, 2018- Press Photo
CAIRO – 12 February 2018: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks with his U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who has started his Middle East tour on Monday; the tour includes Amman, Ankara, Beirut, Cairo, and Kuwait, and takes place from February 11–16.
Shoukry received Tillerson on Monday at the Tahrir Palace, central Cairo, and tackled recent developments in the region. A press conference is expected to be held soon in which Shoukry and Tillerson are going to brief the media with their talks’ outcomes.
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Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry recieves U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at Tahrir Palace, central Cairo on Feb 12, 2018- Press Photo
President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi is meeting with Tillerson on Monday afternoon in Cairo to discuss bilateral partnership, how to further strengthen it, and coordinate on key regional issues including the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, following the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city; the decision which Egypt strongly rejected.
Tillerson will also arrive in Kuwait on the same day leading the U.S. delegation to two international gatherings: That of the 74 members in the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition and a conference on Iraqi reconstruction. The three-day Iraq Reconstruction Conference will showcase private sector investment opportunities and international support for Iraq.
At 8 pm, Tillerson will attend a working dinner with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah al-Khalid Al-Sabah. He will also meet with Kuwaiti officials who are attempting to mediate a resolution to the disagreements between Qatar and its Arab neighbors; Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
Tillerson's third destination is Jordan where the U.S. Secretary will meet with His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein and Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman al-Safadi. Tillerson is expected to sign a multiyear, multibillion dollar U.S. aid package with Jordan to shore up the relationship.
The secretary will underscore the enduring strength of the U.S.-Jordan relationship and discuss key regional issues, such as the ongoing crisis in Syria and Jordan’s support for Middle East peace.
In Beirut, the secretary will meet with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri on Thursday. The secretary’s visit to Lebanon will emphasize U.S. support for the Lebanese people and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
While Tillerson's visit and his meetings with the Lebanese state figures signifies the importance of the relationship and openness to all Lebanese parties except Hezbollah, it is wrong to understand any unconditional support for Lebanon.
-meets-with-Lebanese-Prime-Minister-Saad-Hariri-(L)-at-the-State-Department-July-26,-2017-in-Washington,-DC..jpg "U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri (L) at the State Department July 26, 2017 in Washington, DC.")
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri (L) at the State Department July 26, 2017 in Washington, DC.- Reuters
Tillerson will conclude the tour in Ankara, Turkey, with surely tense talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Tillerson will repeat warnings for Turkey to show restraint in military operations in Kurdish areas of Syria, according to U.S. officials who talked with foreign media outlets on Sunday.
Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he would tell Tillerson during his visit that the two countries must repair damaged mutual trust, Reuters reported on Sunday.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Ankara, Turkey March 30, 2017. Yasin Bulbul/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS
Tillerson’s five-nation tour comes three days after an Israeli F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Syrian fire on Saturday. Although Syrian state news agency SANA reported one Israeli aircraft was shot by Syria’s defense systems, Israel has not confirmed yet whether the F-16 jet was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft fire or not.
Tillerson may also be involved in mediating between Iran and Israel after Saturday’s escalation. Israeli local media reported that Netanyahu had demanded the mediation of Washington and Moscow to resolve the newly-reported developments in the region.
In September, 2017, President Sisi met with U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson on the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 72).
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