Guterres lauds Egypt's efforts to avoid escalation in Gaza

CAIRO - 3 April 2019: UN Security-General António Guterres said that he spoke with Egypt's President about the Palestinian cause, during their meeting in Cairo's al-Ittihadeya presidential palace on Wednesday, lauding Egypt's positive role in this regard.

The UN chief departed Egypt for Libya, concluding his two-day visit to Cairo, during which he also met with Egypt's Foreign Minister, Sheikh of al-Azhar, Sunni Muslim world's most prominent religious institution. He also visited Giza's Grand Egyptian Museum.

In a press conference with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, Guterres expressed thanks to Egypt for its efforts to avoid the escalation of the situation in Gaza, provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, and unify the factions there. He expressed the mutual keenness to reach a permanent solution to the Palestinian cause, based on the two-state solution.

Guterres said that he also discussed with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi the situation in Libya, and efforts to achieve stability and unity in the country.

The two sides also discussed the Syrian crisis, and the mutual desire to reach a peaceful political solution, in accordance with the UN resolutions. They also reviewed the crisis in Yemen.

During the conference, Guterres affirmed that Golan Heights is an occupied Syrian territory, and that the UN will work to preserve the integrity of the Syrian lands. He added that the UN seeks preventing negative effects of the US decision in this regard.

US President Donald Trump in March recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights that Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, stirring wide criticism of the Arab nations.

Trump also angered the Arab peoples in December 2017 after he announced his administration's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ordering moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The embassy was inaugurated in Jerusalem in May 2018, despite fierce protestation by world leaders, not only Arabs.

Egypt's FM, UNSG talk unifying efforts against terrorism

CAIRO - 3 April 2019: Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri met on Tuesday with the UN Chief, during the latter's two-day visit to Egypt, where they discussed the means to unify the international efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.