Cairo Asserts Keenness to Bolster Strategic Ties with Washington

Mashat during talks with the USAID Administrator. (Egyptian government)
Mashat during talks with the USAID Administrator. (Egyptian government)
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Cairo Asserts Keenness to Bolster Strategic Ties with Washington

Mashat during talks with the USAID Administrator. (Egyptian government)
Mashat during talks with the USAID Administrator. (Egyptian government)

Egypt and the United States celebrated on Thursday the 100th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic ties.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez underlined in a tweet Cairo’s keenness to bolster strategic ties with the US and between their peoples.

In a tweet, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he gifted Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry with the 1922 telegrams congratulating Egypt on its independence to mark the centennial strategic partnership between the two countries.

Separately, Minister of International Cooperation Rania al-Mashat held talks with the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, on the sidelines of their participation in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Mashat underscored the depth and importance of the more than four-decade bilateral economic relations, which resulted in the signing of development agreements and financing amounting to more than $30 billion, all of which contributed to supporting development efforts in key areas.

She said the agreements signed between the two countries since 2014 amount to about one billion dollars in various strategic sectors. These include basic education, higher education, health, and governance, as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, tourism, and agriculture.

She further indicated that the continuous efforts for economic cooperation resulted in seven grant agreements worth $130 million in 2021.

The meeting comes in line with the strategic economic relations between Cairo and Washington, represented in the cooperation with the USAID, Mashat stated.

They discussed various joint development efforts and the implemented economic reforms in Egypt, as well as the climate action efforts, women empowerment, and civil society organizations.

Mashat referred to the ongoing talks between the two sides in light of the continuous economic ties and the agreements expected to be signed this year.

In 2021, the trade exchange between the two countries amounted to more than eight billion dollars, while US investments in Egypt amount to more than $24 billion.



For First Time in 25 Years, Lebanese Govt Drops ‘Resistance’ Clause from Ministerial Statement

President Joseph Aoun, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pose for a family photo with the new Lebanese government earlier this month. (Lebanese presidency/EPA)
President Joseph Aoun, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pose for a family photo with the new Lebanese government earlier this month. (Lebanese presidency/EPA)
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For First Time in 25 Years, Lebanese Govt Drops ‘Resistance’ Clause from Ministerial Statement

President Joseph Aoun, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pose for a family photo with the new Lebanese government earlier this month. (Lebanese presidency/EPA)
President Joseph Aoun, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pose for a family photo with the new Lebanese government earlier this month. (Lebanese presidency/EPA)

The new Lebanese government dropped on Monday the “resistance” - Hezbollah - clause from its ministerial statement in a departure from statements of successive cabinets since the year 2000.

Israel withdrew its forces from southern Lebanon in 2000, marking Hezbollah’s rise to prominence in Lebanese internal affairs. Since then, the “resistance” clause had dictated Lebanon’s decision of war and peace.

Salam’s government approved its statement, and it will be referred to parliament for approval.

Following a cabinet meeting, Information Minister Paul Morcos said President Joseph Aoun had praised the government for its rapid drafting of the statement – a process that had often taken several weeks.

The Taif Accord makes up 80 percent of the draft, while the president’s inaugural speech makes up the rest, he told reporters.

The minister stressed that the statement underscores the government’s commitment to liberating all Lebanese territories and demands that the state have monopoly over the possession of weapons.

It is also committed to United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and steering Lebanon clear of regional conflicts.

Asharq Al-Awsat obtained a copy of the draft, which stressed “Lebanon’s right to defend itself in line with the UN Charter. The state is fully responsible for the security of the country and defending its borders.”

Previous ministerial statements had said that the state was “committed to the truce agreement and seeking to liberate occupied Lebanese territories through all legitimate means.” The statements had “underscored the Lebanese citizens’ right in resisting Israeli occupation and repelling Israeli attacks” - a reference to Hezbollah.

State reforms

The new government statement also declared that it was prioritizing state reforms and fortifying its sovereignty. The state, it continued, “had endured decades of shortcomings that had affected its efficacy, diminished its influence and undermined its authority... Today, we must meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people and restore the trust of the citizens.”

“We want a state that assumes its full responsibility for the security of the country and in defending its borders. Such a state repels aggressors, protects its citizens and fortifies its independence,” it went on to say.

The statement underlined the government’s commitment to its pledges, “most notably the implementation of resolution 1701 in full, as well as other resolutions that safeguard Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence within its internationally recognized borders and in line with the 1949 truce agreement between Lebanon and Israel.”

Commitment to national pact

The new government said it was “committed - in line with the national pact - in taking the necessary measures to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation, imposing its sovereignty throughout the country and deploying the army in internationally recognized border areas.”

The government “underscored Lebanon’s right to self-defense against any attack in line with the UN Charter. It calls for implementing the president’s call about the state’s right to monopolize the possession of weapons.”

It called for holding discussions over a “comprehensive defense strategy that would be part of national security strategy on diplomatic, economic and military levels.”

“We aspire for a state that possesses the decision of war and peace and for its army to adopt a defensive combat creed,” it added.

Rejection of naturalization

The government tackled economic and social affairs, as well as the issue of Palestinian refugees. It expressed its rejection of their naturalization in Lebanon, saying it was committed to their right to return to their homeland and the establishment of their independent state.

Moreover, it stressed that the Lebanese state “has the right to impose its authority throughout Lebanese territories including Palestinian refugee camps.”

“We want a state that boasts effective public administrations and institutions, and that believes in justice for all without exception,” it continued. It underscored the importance of an independent judiciary according to the highest international standards.

The statement also addressed the issue of people’s deposits that have been frozen in banks. It said tackling the issue will be a priority and the depositors’ rights will be protected.

It also spoke of wanting to achieve economic growth and fixing the electricity sector.

Syria

The government will also work towards keeping Lebanon out of regional conflicts and preventing the country from “being used as a platform to attack friendly states.”

The government also vowed to launch a dialogue over border control and non-interference with new authorities in neighboring Syria, where the opposition ousted Hezbollah ally Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

Syria was the dominant power in Lebanon for three decades under the Assad family, with Damascus only withdrawing Syria’s troops in 2005 following mass protests triggered by the assassination of Lebanese ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

His murder was blamed on Assad and Hezbollah.