Parliament Speaker Saad El-Katatny (2nd to right) and President of El-Wafd party, Sayed El-Badawy (3rd to right)talk with Saudi officials on Thursday (Photo: Reuters)
A top level Egyptian delegation visiting Saudi Arabia is set to meet with King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud after the Friday prayers as part of the Egyptian effort to fix strained ties between the two countries, Al-Ahram Arabic news gate reported Friday.
Headed by lower house speaker, Mohamed Saad El-Katatny, the Egyptian delegation consists of 124 members including heads of the parliamentary groups as well as representatives of the Egyptian Coptic Church and Al-Azhar mosque.
"We are confident that sane people from the two countries are capable of overlooking such minor issues, and seek more cooperation and alliance," Saudi foreign affairs minister Saud El-Faisal said in dinner with the Egyptian delegation after it arrived on Thursday night.
Last Saturday, Saudi Arabia decided to withdraw its ambassador from Egypt and close its embassy and consulates in the country. Such a move came as a result of the protests which took place in front of the Kingdom's embassy in Cairo, and attempts to storm it threatened the safety of its employees.
The demonstrations were kicked off after Saudi Authorities arrested Egyptian lawyer and activist Ahmed El-Gizawi in mid-April on allegations that he tried to smuggle narcotics into the conservative Kingdom.
The government in Cairo, keen to maintain relations with the oil rich country that hosts more than 2 million Egyptian migrant workers, quickly released a statement apologising for the actions of "certain protesters against the Saudi Arabian embassy in Cairo."
"All factions of the Egyptian people, represented in leaders of political parties, Al-Azhar, the Church, artists, athletes and university professors came here to express their appreciation for the kingdom's leader and people," El-Katatny commented on the visit.
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