Tebboune invites Sisi to visit Algeria

CAIRO - 10 January 2020: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi was invited by his Algerian counterpart Abdel Madjid Tebboune to visit Algeria, DPA reported the Algerian Presidency.

Tebboune’s invitation came as a response to President Sisi’s invitation to his counterpart to visit Egypt in light of enhancing the bilateral relations between both countries, the statement added.

In his meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Algerian President affirmed that “Libyan blood will not be a price to protect foreign interests in these areas,” DPA added.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry headed to Algeria on Thursday to convey Sisi's message toTebboune regarding the escalation of Libyan turmoil when Turkey announced its military intervention in Libya to be a thorn in Egypt and other Mediterranean countries flesh.

During his meeting with his Algerian counterpart Sabri Boukadoum, Shoukry affirmed “the importance of avoiding further complication or escalation on the Libyan scene, via confronting foreign military intervention attempts,” according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday evening.

“He [Shoukry] called for the intensification of efforts aimed at pushing forward the path of comprehensive political settlement for all facets of the Libyan crisis, the support of the UN Envoy endeavors, and the completion of preparations for the Berlin political track,” the statement read.

In his speech at a press conference with Koukadoum, Shoukry announced that both countries have strong consensus on rejection of any foreign military presence in the Libyan territories, adding that they agreed on enhancing the political course in solving the Libyan crisis via reaching an inter-Libyan settlement.

Shoukry affirmed that Egypt and Algeria coordinate to attend the Berlin Conference on Libya, parsing the bilateral relations between both sides.

Coincidentally, Tebboune met with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio on Thursday, calling for immediate ceasefire between Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar and Sarraj’s forces, according to the Algerian Press Service.

Shoukry’s visit to Algeria came two days following Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's visit to Algeria and another visit by head of the Libyan Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj on Monday.

Algeria affirmed, in its meeting with Sarraj, that its stance is mainly based on the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs in accordance with the Algerian Constitution, State-owned Algeria Press reported Monday evening.

The situation has escalated in the region after Turkish President Recept Tayeb Erdogan and Sarraj signed controversial Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on drawing maritime borders in the Mediterranean Sea- one of the largest natural gas resources in the region- and on enhancing military cooperation. The deals provoked anger in Egypt, Cyprus and Greece that voiced their rejection of the deal as it contradicts with the international agreements.

In a joint press conference held in Cairo for the foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece, France and Cyprus, it has been affirmed that the necessity to fully respect the sovereignty of all countries, including their sovereign rights in their water regions in the Mediterranean Sea. In this regard, they strongly condemned the continuous Turkish acts (drillings) in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone and regional waters and called on Turkey to immediately halt illegal exploration activities.

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