No current plans for Egypt FM to visit Damascus: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson

Ahram Online , Sunday 12 Jan 2025

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that no arrangements are currently being made for the visit of Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty to Damascus.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Photo: AFP
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Photo: AFP

 

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tamim Khallaf made these remarks on Sunday during a phone interview with Lamis Al-Hadidi on ON TV's Kalimah Akhirah program.

Khallaf reaffirmed Egypt's stance that Syria must not become a hub for terrorism—a concern raised by Egypt at the recent Arab ministerial meeting in Riyadh, where officials gathered to support Syria.

"We will continue to monitor the situation in Syria. The road ahead is still long," he stated, cautioning against oversimplifying the crisis.

In response to questions about a recent phone call between Egypt's Foreign Minister and his Syrian counterpart and the arrival of an aid plane in Damascus last week, Khallaf stressed Egypt's readiness to consider any action that serves the Syrian people's interests, including humanitarian assistance.

He highlighted Egypt's ongoing support during this sensitive phase, noting the recent dispatch of an aid plane carrying 15 tons of food supplies to help alleviate Syrians' hardships. He also confirmed that the Egyptian embassy in Damascus remains fully operational.

At the Riyadh meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for regional and international cooperation to prevent Syria from becoming a source of instability. He urged a Syrian-led, inclusive political process that respects the country's diversity and allows all political forces to participate in managing the transition.

Egypt's top diplomat also emphasized preserving Syria's unity, stability, and sovereignty while strengthening its national institutions.

Several Arab capitals have already sent representatives to Damascus to engage with the new leadership, which ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last month and now leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a rebel faction that split from extremist groups al-Qaeda and ISIS.

 

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