Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 6th session of the Arab-Russian Forum in Marrakech, Morocco.
Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation and development projects, such as the Dabaa nuclear power plant and the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal economic zone.
Shoukry expressed Egypt’s interest in the continued flow of Russian tourism, as Egypt is a popular destination for Russian tourists. He also praised the cooperation and coordination between the two countries in international forums, and the mutual support for international nominations.
Shoukry also addressed the Palestinian issue, reviewing Egypt’s efforts to stop Israel’s aggression on the Gaza Strip since last October, which resulted in thousands of civilian casualties.
He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and a radical solution based on the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international references.
The meeting also witnessed an exchange of views on various issues of common interest, including the situations in Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Syria. Shoukry pointed to Egypt’s aspiration to reach a political settlement to the Ukrainian crisis, and the need for international efforts to resolve it, especially in light of its negative humanitarian, political and economic impacts at the regional and international levels, and on the Egyptian economy.
Shoukry reaffirmed Egypt’s balanced position, which it has adopted since the beginning of the crisis. Lavrov praised the cooperation between the two countries in various fields, pointing to the steady growth in trade exchange.
Lavrov expressed his aspiration to strengthen cooperation in all sectors, and to continue joint coordination on regional and international issues, stressing the mutual support between Cairo and Moscow within the framework of the distinguished bilateral relations and the deep historical ties of friendship.
