Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and his Bulgarian counterpart Georg Georgiev shared their views on regional tensions and the situation in the embattled Gaza Strip during a phone call on Tuesday.

According to State Information Service Egypt, during their phone conversation, the top diplomats also discussed bilateral relations and how to promote trade, economic, and investment cooperation, given Bulgaria’s important role as one of Egypt’s main suppliers of wheat and grains.

The two ministers underscored the importance of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, as well as the need to provide all support to disburse the second tranche of a substantial EU financial support package for Egypt.

Meanwhile, Abdelatty extended condolences to the Bulgarian minister over the death of Bulgarian officer Marin Marinov, a member of the UN mission in Gaza, who was killed in the Israeli shelling of the UN headquarters in central Gaza last week.

Abdelatty condemned Israel’s targeting of the UN buildings in Gaza. He briefed the Bulgarian official on the Early Recovery, Reconstruction, and Development of Gaza plan adopted during an Arab summit in Cairo earlier this month.

Abdelatty also highlighted efforts made to uphold the ceasefire in Gaza and move forward with the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire and prisoner-swap agreement that came into effect on January 19.

For his part, Georgiev thanked Egypt for its efforts to draw up the Arab plan for Gaza reconstruction, as well as its ongoing endeavors to restore calm and release all hostages held by Hamas and Israel.