Sisi to Tillerson: Egypt’s stance toward Peace process ‘clear’

CAIRO – 13 February 2018: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi affirmed to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Egypt’s “clear stance” towards the peace process is to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 border, with Eastern Jerusalem as its capital, said Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Radi in a statement.

President Sisi also called on the U.S. to revive the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis. The Peace process between Palestine and Israel has been halted since April 2014, after the conflicting Palestinian factions announced their national unity government.

Tillerson arrived in Cairo on Sunday to kick off his Middle East tour that includes Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Kuwait to discuss the Syrian crisis and Middle East peace.
During his meeting with Sisi, Tillerson said that the U.S. Administration, under President Donald Trump’s leadership, is to “fairly” solve the case, adding that the administration will resume its efforts to achieve this goal, the statement added.

Both sides also tackled bilateral relations and international and regional issues, particularly regarding Syria and Libya. They also discussed Egypt’s counter-terrorism efforts, the statement explained.

During his press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Tillerson said “Jerusalem’s borders shall be determined in a later time after intensive talks and discussions between Palestinians and Israelis to put an end to the two-party conflict and resolve the Palestinian cause.”

After his meeting with President Sisi, Tillerson will head to Kuwait on Monday evening, 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.

Additional reporting by Nawal Sayed