Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated in the 6th session of the Arab-Russian Forum on Wednesday, hosted by the city of Marrakesh in Morocco.
Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry expressed Egypt’s pride in its historical and strategic relations with Russia and their development in various fields over the past decades, such as politics, economy, trade, nuclear energy, food security, and military coordination. He also pointed to the strategic partnership between the Arab world and Russia, stressing his confidence in the Arab-Russian Forum’s role as a platform for developing relations and strengthening the partnership, as well as finding and defining common priorities and positions on regional and international issues of interest to both sides.
Shoukry addressed the events and humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip as a result of the continuous Israeli attacks that have lasted for more than 70 days.
He reiterated the critical importance of an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, with full access to humanitarian and relief assistance for the Gaza Strip, and an end to the siege, starvation and collective punishment of the more than 2 million people who are living in inhumane conditions.
The Foreign Minister added that the international community has recently repeated its rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people – something that Egypt considers a red line that should not be crossed under any pretext.
He said that the international community must prove its sincerity in confronting the Israeli practices that are driving this displacement, so that any chance for peace can be saved, and to find a real horizon to resume serious and effective negotiations that would achieve the two-state solution.
He called for the enforcement of the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, in order to guarantee the Palestinian people the right to establish their own independent and secure state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Shoukry’s speech highlighted the flaws that this crisis revealed in a world order that follows a double standard, and it showed the need for a more balanced international system in which human values, justice and equity prevail.
He thanked Russia for the balance of its international political positions on Arab issues, including its position in the Security Council on the developments in Gaza, which provided evidence of the strength of Arab-Russian cooperation, convergence of views and mutual consideration of interests.
The Foreign Minister also expressed his aspiration for continued Russian support for the Arab and Palestinian positions rejecting Israeli violations and seeking the required international support to recognize the state of Palestine and obtain full membership in the United Nations.
He also reviewed the efforts of the Arab League and its initiative to form a ministerial contact committee to settle the Ukrainian crisis, which visited Russia and Poland last year, with the aim of mediating the crisis and reaching a peaceful political solution as soon as possible.
