A senior British government delegation of aviation and counter-terrorism experts visited Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday on orders from British Prime Minister David Cameron, according to a British embassy in Cairo press statement.
The statement said the delegation will discuss with Egyptian authorities a Joint Plan to allow British flights to return to Sharm El-Sheikh as soon as possible.
The British delegation conveyed a political message from Cameron, that the UK would work actively, urgently, and in detail with the Egyptian authorities to allow normal flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh as soon as possible.
“The delegation stressed that Britain will never falter in its commitment to work with the Egyptian government to defeat mutual enemies and threats to our citizens in Europe, North Africa, and beyond,” the statement read.
British ambassador in Cairo John Casson said that Britain was the first to act on airport security issues at Sharm El Sheikh, also Britain wants to be the first to find the solutions to restore normal flights as soon as possible.
“Our talks have shown very encouraging progress, with shared analysis and commitment to swift progress, and shared ideas on the way forward,” said Casson. “A strong Egyptian economy with a strong tourist industry, at the strategic heart of this vital region, is a national interest for Britain”.
Casson said the recent events show that every country must take every possible step to protect its citizens and Britain will do that. “However, we must not allow anything to drive Britain and Egypt apart or undermine our long-term economic and security partnership,” he said.
The delegation was headed by the Prime Minister’s Envoy on Aviation Security William Patey. The meetings included discussion with Egyptian ministers of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, Tourism Hisham Zaazou, former-Minister of Planning Fayza Abou El-Naga, National Security Adviser to the President Ahmed Gamal el-Din, Adviser on Security and Counter-Terrorism Affairs Mohamed El Zenaty, the Head of the Civil Aviation Authority, and other security agencies
