FM: Int'l community responsible for reaching fair agreement on GERD

CAIRO - 14 October 2019: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the international community shoulders the responsibility of the success of the ongoing negotiations on reaching a just agreement on the reservoir's filling process of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and related operation rules according to the international law.

Shoukry was delivering a speech on Monday during a lecture titled "Foreign Policy of Egypt" at the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria (UNA-Austria) upon an invitation from Wolfgang Schüssel, the former Austrian chancellor, Foreign Ministry Spokesman said.

The foreign minister reviewed Egypt's vision on the major challenges faced by the Middle East region, clarifying that Egypt supports the peoples' aspirations within a framework of maintaining their countries' stability, security, and institutions.

Egypt's policy constants are based on non-interference in domestic affairs and cooperation with all partners worldwide, the top diplomat mentioned.

During the speech, Shoukry pointed out to several major issues, topped by the Syrian crisis and its developments, the latest of which the Turkish aggression on northeastern Syria.

In this score, the foreign minister stressed that Egypt firmly refuses such offensive and its negative impact on the political process, stressing that the Syrians have the right to self-defense.

He also talked about the Libyan crisis and the need to reach a political solution and settle the Palestinian cause through the two-state solution.

Senior Austrian officials and ambassadors attended the lecture.