U.S. support doesn’t represent special relations: Shoukry

CAIRO - 1 June 2018: Minster of Foreign affairs Sameh Shoukry met on Tuesday with a delegation from the United States Congress headed by Republican Darrell Issa. The meeting discussed several issues including boosting relations between Egypt and the U.S.

According to the statement issued by the Foreign Minister’s spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid, Shoukry affirmed to Issa that Egypt also expects the support it needs from its allies specially from the U.S. for the challenges that the MENA region is facing.

Shoukry pointed out that the Middle East is struggling amid terrorism, conflicts and armed groups which represent direct threats against most countries.

“Current U.S. support doesn’t represent the two countries’ special relations,” Shoukry said addressing Issa during their talks. He added that Cairo and Washington’s current level of cooperation is not ensuring maximum interests for both countries yet.

Shoukry explained to the delegation Egypt’s newest updates regarding the political, economic and security situations. He also told them about the army’s current operation in Sinai to confront terrorism.

The discussions between both men also included the situations in Libya, Palestine, Sudan, Ethiopia and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Earlier, the delegation met with Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi and discussed the two countries’ strategic relations. Both sides affirmed the importance of exerting more efforts to develop Egyptian-U.S. cooperation.