Washington: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, held a discussion session on Monday, February 10, with U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, at the U.S. Department of State headquarters. The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, stated that the meeting addressed the overall close bilateral relations between the two countries, ways to enhance the four-decade-long Strategic Partnership, and the promotion of cooperation across various fields to serve shared interests.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Minister Abdelatty expressed his aspiration to work with the new administration to achieve security, stability, and a just and comprehensive peace in the region. The discussions addressed the importance of continuing to hold regular rounds of the Egyptian-U.S. Strategic Dialogue at the foreign ministerial level. The meeting also tackled ways to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries. The two ministers discussed the ongoing preparations for Cairo’s hosting of the “Egypt Future Economy Forum” later this year, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce, aiming to achieve a qualitative leap in trade exchange and increase U.S. investments in Egypt.
The Spokesperson added that the two ministers held an extensive discussion on the rapidly evolving regional developments in Gaza, Syria, Libya, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea. Regarding the Palestinian cause, Minister Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s, as well as the Arab and Islamic world’s, established position and the importance of fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. He also expressed Egypt’s aspiration to coordinate with the U.S. administration to work towards achieving the desired just peace in the Middle East in a manner that upholds the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish an independent state on their entire national territory.
Minister Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s efforts in implementing the ceasefire agreement in all its three phases and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid. He emphasized the urgency of initiating early recovery, debris removal, and reconstruction with the presence of Palestinians in Gaza in light of their attachment to their land and their absolute rejection of displacement, with full support from the Arab and Islamic worlds as well as the international community. He also stressed the importance of establishing a political horizon leading to a final resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, ensuring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to achieve security and stability in the Middle East.
The discussions also addressed the latest developments in Sudan, where Minister Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s support for Sudanese state institutions, the necessity of a ceasefire, and the importance of respecting Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. Moreover, the discussions covered the situation in Syria, with Minister Abdelatty emphasizing Egypt’s full support for the Syrian people. He underscored the need to uphold Syria’s unity and territorial integrity and stressed the importance of launching an inclusive political process that does not exclude any component of Syrian society, ensuring that Syria becomes a source of stability in the region.
Additionally, the discussions tackled Egypt’s water security, with the Foreign Minister stressing Egypt’s firm stance on the necessity of reaching a legally binding agreement on the operation of the dam, one that safeguards the rights of the downstream countries while serving the shared interests of all parties. The discussions also included an exchange of views on several other issues of mutual concern, including developments in Lebanon, Libya, and the Horn of Africa, as well as maritime security in the Red Sea. Both sides agreed on the need to continue consultations and coordination between Egypt and the United States.