Saudi Arabia, Egypt Warn Against Policies that Take Region to the Abyss

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Egypt Warn Against Policies that Take Region to the Abyss

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Tuesday against policies that take the region to the edge of the abyss.

Meeting in Cairo, they demanded that steps be taken to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and for the humanitarian situation be addressed there.

A statement by the Egyptian presidency said the leaders discussed regional developments, starting with the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. They agreed on the dangerousness of the situation in the region, urging a de-escalation.

They called for respecting the sovereignty, security and stability of Lebanon and stressed the need for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in line with international resolutions.

This is the only way that sustainable peace and security can be achieved in the region, they added.

They warned that attempts to “erase” the Palestinian cause will only prolong conflicts in the region.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Sisi also reviewed developments in the Red Sea, Sudan, Libya and Syria.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi bids farewell to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, ahead of his departure from Cairo. (AFP/Handout/SPA)

Crown Prince Mohammed had arrived in Cairo on Tuesday on an official visit.

He held bilateral talks with Sisi ahead of expanded discussions that included Saudi and Egyptian delegations.

The leaders presided over the signing of the formation of the Saudi-Egyptian Higher Coordination Council that they will both chair.

Sisi underscored the depth of the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, especially amid the threats facing the region.

He stressed the importance of maintaining joint coordination and cooperation to overcome the current instability in the region and Islamic world.

For his part, Crown Prince Mohammed conveyed to Sisi the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, underlining the importance Saudi Arabia places on bolstering ties with Egypt.

Upon his departure, he sent a cable to Sisi to express his gratitude to the warm reception.

“The visit and the talks that we held underscored the strength of relations between our countries and a joint desire to bolster cooperation in all fields,” he said.

The visit also demonstrated a keenness on maintaining coordination and consultations on issues of common interest under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Sisi, he added.



Saudi Arabia Stresses its Ongoing Efforts to Tackle Situation in Gaza, Lebanon

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses its Ongoing Efforts to Tackle Situation in Gaza, Lebanon

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government underscored on Tuesday the Kingdom’s ongoing political and humanitarian efforts to tackle the situation in Gaza and its surroundings, and in Lebanon.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet session that was held in Riyadh.

The cabinet also highlighted the air bridge the Kingdom has launched to provide humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people amid the Israeli assault on their country.

Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the ministers on the telephone call he received from French President Emmanuel Macron and the outcomes of the meeting he held with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Riyadh last week.

Crown Prince Mohammed’s talks with the officials focused on regional developments and efforts exerted towards them.

Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the cabinet reviewed the Kingdom's participation in bilateral and multilateral meetings, with the objective of boosting its relations with countries worldwide in various sectors, facilitating coordination to address issues and challenges of international significance, and achieving shared interests.

The cabinet renewed the Kingdom's emphasis, at the UN Conference on Victims of Terrorism, on the importance of international efforts to curb extremist ideologies and rhetoric, eradicate terrorism, provide support and care for all victims, and empower them through education and rehabilitation.

The minister said the cabinet reiterated the key points of the Kingdom's opening statement at the 89th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which reaffirmed the commitment to women's rights, to lifting their status in society, and to continuing reforms that empower women and encourage their participation in development.

At the domestic level, Al-Dossary said the Cabinet praised the successful conclusion of the Global Logistics Forum held in Riyadh under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It hoped that its outcomes will contribute to boosting cooperation, developing logistics services and supply chains, and supporting economic growth and sustainable development.

Moreover, the cabinet declared that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve making it on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Green List, alongside the Ibex Reserve, is consistent with the Kingdom's ongoing efforts in environment conservation. The move helps in realizing the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to declare 30% of terrestrial and marine regions protected areas by 2030.

The cabinet reviewed several reports on the performance of public agencies over the past period, their contributions to achieving the targets of the Saudi Vision 2030, and the significant progress seen in the indicators and initiatives of national strategies.