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Egypt’s FM arrives in Damascus for first time since 2011

Monday, 27 February 2023 6:11 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 27 February 2023 6:11 PM ]

Mohamad Ali
Press TV, Damascus

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri has met Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. In the meeting, the top diplomat conveyed Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's message of solidarity to Assad and all Syrians affected by the recent earthquakes.

He also expressed Cairo’s keenness on bolstering historic relations between Syria and Egypt as well as boosting joint cooperation.

Assad, for his part, thanked Egypt for sending humanitarian assistance, asserting that improving bilateral ties among Arab states constitutes the foundation for improving the situation in general in the Arab world.

Shukri stressed that Egypt-Syria relations are a basic factor in the security of Arab countries. He also reiterated his country’s support for Syria.

Shukri also held a separate meeting with his Syrian counterpart, in which Faisal al-Mekdad briefed him on the steps taken by the Syrian government for helping Syrians affected by the earthquakes. Al-Mekdad also thanked Egypt for its unwavering aid to Syrians since day one of the earthquakes.

The visit comes a day after a historic trip by several senior lawmakers of Arab parliament to Damascus, who affirmed they will push their governments for restoring relations with Syria. That’s amid an increase in such moves by Arab states.

This is the first visit for an Egyptian foreign minister to Syria since the start of the crisis in 2011. It’s a clear indication of Egypt’s serious intention to gradually restore normal ties with the Arab country.

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