President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met Thusrday 21/3/2024 with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service Major General Abbas Kamel.
The Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said the US Secretary of State conveyed to President El-Sisi the greetings of US President Joe Biden and his appreciation for Egypt’s fundamental role in establishing peace and stability in the Middle East. President El-Sisi appreciated that and lauded the strategic partnership between the two countries as well as the continuation of consultation on various regional and international issues.
The meeting touched on the current situation in the Gaza Strip. The President and the US Secretary of State reviewed the latest developments concerning joint mediation efforts with the aim of reaching a ceasefire and exchanging captives.
The President stressed the necessity of an immediate ceasefire, highlighting that Gaza Strip and its people are being exposed to a humanitarian catastrophe and famine that threaten the lives of innocent civilians. The President warned of the dangerous consequences of any military operation in the Palestinian city of Rafah and stressed the necessity of urgent action to allow sufficient quantities of humanitarian aid into the sector. The President also stressed the necessity of opening the horizons of the political track through intensive work to activate the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
US Secretary of State Blinken lauded the Egyptian efforts to advance calm, stressing the keenness of the United States on coordination and consultation with the aim of restoring stability and security in the region. The two sides agreed on the importance of continuing joint efforts in this regard, the need to take all measures to ensure the access of humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip, and the rejection of the displacement of Palestinians outside their lands in any way or form.