Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry held a telephone call, on Thursday, to his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, during which they discussed a number of issues of common interest.
The call dealt with the developments in Tunisia’s political situation, in light of the great interest the two countries attach to this issue.
They also reviewed the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the current situation in Lebanon, in addition to a number of aspects of Egyptian-French bilateral relations.
In this context, the two ministers’ discussions during the call showed similarity in views on these issues.
The two sides stressed the importance of respecting the will of the Tunisian people, and supporting the institutions of the Tunisian state in its quest to achieve stability and security.
This is in addition to the state’s efforts in addressing the economic crisis that the country is going through, particularly due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Shoukry also reviewed the latest developments in the GERD issue, stressing that Egypt’s position on the controversial Ethiopian dam remains constant.
The minister highlighted that Egypt is particularly keen to reach a just solution to the issue that achieves its water security, through a binding legal agreement to fill and operate the dam.
Shoukry also expressed his aspiration for continued consultation and coordination with France in this regard, as it is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
On the Lebanese issue, the two ministers stressed the importance of forming a government as soon as possible in the country.
This is with the aim of putting an end to the political impasse in Lebanon, in order to start implementing the reform policies that would lift the country out of its economic deterioration.
