Egypt and Saudi Arabia have called on Iran to fully respect its obligations to international treaties and end its pursuit of nuclear weapons….reports Asian Lite News
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Thursday discussed regional peace during latter’s visit to the Kingdom.
The two top diplomats have discussed regional issues along with intensifying joint cooperation in the political fields during the fifth ministerial session of the follow-up and political consultation committee between the two countries.
In a joint statement issued by Egypt and the Kingdom, both leaders have called on Iran to fully respect its obligations to international treaties and end its pursuit of nuclear weapons as part of a regional push for peace.
The two countries also agreed to support Arab efforts urging Tehran to avoid interfering in the internal affairs of regional countries, including supporting armed militias and threatening maritime navigation, the Arab News reported.
They expressed their rejection of threats to their stability and the undermining of the interests of their peoples, whether through ethnic or sectarian incitement, acts of terrorism and terrorist groups, or expansionist visions that don’t respect the sovereignty of nations and good neighbourliness.
The Kingdom congratulated Egypt on hosting the UN Climate Change Conference in November, adding that the success of the event demonstrates Egypt’s ability to promote new ideas in the international arena.
The two sides also praised joint efforts in organising the second edition of the Middle East Green Initiative Summit in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
They stressed that that Arab security was indivisible, urging the need for collective Arab work and solidarity to preserve Arab national security.
This is a responsibility for each Arab country, it added, saying that Saudi Arabia and Egypt play leading roles in achieving political and economic stability in the region to reach sustainable development in all countries in the area.
They agreed on the importance of maintaining coordination to support the countries of the region and the security and stability of their people.
On Palestinian issue, both sides have stressed the importance of achieving a just and comprehensive solution with the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, agreeing to intensify regional and international coordination on the matter.
The two countries have also welcomed the consensus reached by parties regarding the transitional phase in Sudan and the signing of a framework agreement.
“The stability and prosperity of Sudan is an integral part of the security and stability of both the Kingdom and Egypt due to their geographical proximity,” the statement said.
They also agreed to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the importance of supporting efforts aimed at establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.
The two sides condemned attempts to undermine the security of the Arabian Gulf, the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, stressing the importance of protecting freedom of navigation in pivotal sea lanes, the Arab News reported.
Riyadh and Cairo reiterated their support for UN efforts to extend a truce in Yemen to reach a comprehensive political solution to the civil war.
Meanwhile, Egypt praised the Kingdom’s efforts to promote dialogue between Yemeni factions and its role in providing humanitarian aid and economic support to the war-torn country.
Egypt has expressed concern over the Iran-backed Houthi militia’s “continued targeting of the security of international shipping lanes, which negatively affects global energy security and the stability of its supplies.”
Egypt noted its support for Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council in ending the war.
Regarding Libya, the two sides also stressed their support of the UN-brokered dialogue. They praised the role of the Libyan House of Representatives and the state in “fulfilling all the frameworks that allow Libya to move toward a better future.”
The joint statement also urged for immediate Presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya.
The two sides stressed the importance of supporting Iraq in order to return to its natural position as one of the pillars of stability in our Arab region, as well as its support in its war on terrorism, including preserving the national state and its institutions, rejecting all forms of external interference in Iraq’s affairs, and the need to preserve its security and the integrity of its borders.
The Saudi side affirmed its full support for Egyptian water security and called it as an integral part of Arab national security. It pledged full solidarity with all measures taken by Egypt to protect its national security, calling on Ethiopia not to take any unilateral measures regarding the filling and operation of the Renaissance Dam.
It also called on Ethiopia to show the necessary responsibility and political will to reach a binding legal agreement on the rules for filling and operating the Renaissance Dam, “in implementation of the presidential statement issued by the Security Council in September 2021, in a way that achieves the development goals of Ethiopia and prevents significant harm to any of Egypt and Sudan.”
After the meeting, Prince Faisal held a luncheon for counterpart Sameh Shoukry and the accompanying delegation.