The Egyptian parliamentary delegation in Italy has not been assigned to start formal discussions over the halt of certain military supplies or the case of Giulio Regeni, member of parliament Medhat El-Sherif said.
El-Sherif’s statement contradicts with earlier remarks made by MP Mohamed Al-Orabi, a member of the delegation to Italy. He previously said that the forum in Rome is an opportunity for the Egyptian delegation to hold bilateral talks with their Italian counterparts regarding the suspension of military aid.
MP Tarek Al-Khouly, member of the foreign affairs committee, said the delegation’s main reason for travel to Italy is to attend the Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary assembly. As to whether or not the delegation has attempted to speak about the Regeni case, that remains unclear, he added.
Al-Khouly confirmed that during the parliament’s Tuesday session, the committees of foreign affairs, defence and national security, and human rights will discuss Egyptian-Italian relations amid the Regeni case, ways to improve the situation, and future plans to advance relations.
Neither El-Sherif nor Al-Orabi was available for comment.
The Italian Senate voted in late June to stop the supply of F-16 fighter jet spare parts being delivered to Egypt in the first “pressure signal” as part of the repercussions following the ambiguous murder of student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
The death of the Italian researcher and PhD candidate in early February remains a mystery. His body was found in a ditch along the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road several days after he disappeared on the fifth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.
