Cairo, Dec 20 (IANS) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held several bilateral talks with the leaders of the Middle East countries on the sidelines of the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation held in Egypt’s new administrative capital and reaffirmed the commitment to restore peace in the region.
Sisi and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday, rejected any attempt to forcibly displace the Palestinians or to undermine the Palestinian cause, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
They reviewed ways to restore calm to the Palestinian territories and talked about Egypt’s efforts to facilitate a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there and end the bloodshed, reports Xinhua news agency.
The two leaders also denounced Israel’s persistent violations in the West Bank, stressing that the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem constitute the land of the Palestinian state.
Al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s unyielding and vigorous efforts to support the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Abbas applauded Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, acknowledging Egypt’s historic role in supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights.
Apart from this, the Egyptian President also met his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, the first Iranian President to visit Egypt in 11 years, to discuss efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and restore peace in the region, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
During a meeting, Sisi stressed the importance of defusing regional tensions and avoiding escalation, urging all parties to act wisely, in order to protect the region from dangerous confrontations that could have serious repercussions on peace and security in the Middle East and the world as a whole.
The meeting also touched on the situation in Palestine, with a review of Egypt’s efforts to implement a ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Additionally, Sisi also held talks with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati and emphasised Egypt’s keenness on firming up the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and the full enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
The Egyptian President also reiterated Egypt’s steadfast commitment to offering all forms of assistance to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people and support the effective functioning of the country’s institutions.
The meeting also touched on regional developments and Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as a core step toward restoring regional stability. The two leaders expressed their commitment to Syria’s stability, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as the safety and security of its people.
They also cautioned against the expansion of the conflict, stressing the need for all parties to act with wisdom and responsibility to restore regional peace.
–IANS
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