Sisi, Conte tackle probes into Regeni’s death

CAIRO – 23 September 2019: On the sidelines of the 74th Session of the UNGA meetings in New York, , President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday, discussing bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, besides the death of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni in Egypt, according to a statement from Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Radi.

Two leaders tackled joint cooperation on investigations of the Regeni case, in light of continued efforts to unravel the circumstances of the case and to reach the perpetrators and bring them to justice, Radi said.

Giulio Regeni, a 28-year old doctoral researcher, disappeared early in 2016 in the Egyptian capital; he was found dead in February of the same year, with his body bearing signs of torture.

President Sisi congratulated Conte for being re-appointed as Italian Prime Minister. Conte was re-appointed by the Italian president to as Prime Minister on August 29, 2019.

President Sisi praised the historic bilateral relations between two countries, highlighting the coordination to between both sides to face challenges in the Mediterranean region. “The President confirmed the importance that Egypt attaches to developing the various joint cooperation frameworks between Egypt and Italy across different fields, in addition to coordination and consultation on regional issues of mutual interest,” Radi said.

The Italian Prime Minister expressed his country's keenness to enhance bilateral relations and to effectuate cooperation frameworks, especially at the economic and trade level, Radi added.

“The Italian prime minister expressed his country's keenness to continue coordinating and consulting with Egypt on various regional issues and ways to settle crises in the Middle East, in light of Egypt's efforts to counter terrorism and enhance security and stability in the region,” Radi continued.

Regionally, Sisi and Conte discussed Palestinian issue, the situations in Libya and Syria, in addition to combating terrorism and illegal migration.

“President El Sisi confirmed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach political settlement to the crises in some of the countries in the region and supporting the cohesion of their national institutions so as to ensure the preservation of the unity and territorial integrity of these countries, to end the plight of their peoples and safeguard their interests,” Radi said.

On August 25, 2019, Sisi and Conte discussed the investigation into Regeni’s death on the sidelines of the Summit of the Group of Seven of the most advanced economies held in France's Biarritz.