Egypt, Saudi Arabia stress the necessity of resolving Libyan crisis
Ahram Online, , Thursday 16 Jul 2020


Egypt and Saudi Arabia both stressed the importance of reaching a comprehensive settlement to the Libyan crisis to preserve the country’s unity and territorial integrity, Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday after a phone call between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in the statement that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan expressed their rejection of foreign interventions in Libya, which contribute to the proliferation of armed militias, and stressed the need to firmly address the transport of foreign fighters to the country, in a manner that supports the efforts of the political settlement of the crisis based on the Cairo Declaration and within the framework of the outcomes of the Berlin conference.

The Cairo Declaration was made on 6 June by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar, and Libyan parliament speaker Aguila Saleh. It involves a ceasefire, an elected leadership council and a longer-term peace plan for the country.

The foreign ministers’ statement came after El-Sisi's meeting with Libyan tribal chieftains in Cairo on Thursdayin which he said Egypt will not stand still in the face of actions that pose a direct threat not only to Egyptian and Libyan national security but also to Arab, regional and international national security.

Hafez said that the two ministers also highlighted the enormous challenges facing the region which require more mutual coordination, especially in light of the foreign presence and interference in the affairs of a number of fraternal Arab countries.

Shoukry's call with his Saudi counterpart also saw affirmations of solidarity and mutual support in facing all threats to the two countries’ security and stability and the challenges they face, the statement noted.

In addition to discussing bilateral cooperation and the other issues of common interest, Hafez said, they also reviewed the latest developments on regional issues, particularly the Palestinian cause and conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

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