Roundup: Egyptian president, French FM discuss bilateral relations, regional issues

CAIRO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi praised on Sunday the close relations between Egypt and France in all fields.

Sisi's comments came during his meeting in Cairo with visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The meeting was attended by Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, acting chief of General Intelligence Abbas Kamel, and the French Ambassador to Cairo Stephane Romatet.

Spokesman for the Egyptian presidency Bassam Rady stressed, in a statement, the importance to boost cooperation between both countries in the coming period and exchange high-level visits to enhance ongoing partnership between Cairo and Paris in all fields, especially counter-terrorism.

The president reviewed the efforts exerted by Egypt in the fight against terrorism, underlining that terrorism is the enemy of humanity.

He also highlighted the need to enhance ongoing coordination between the two countries over regional issues.

On the Syrian crisis, Rady said that Sisi stressed Egypt's position which calls for a political settlement of the crisis that guarantees the unity of the Syrian territories and achieves the will of the Syrian people.

Le Drian conveyed to Sisi the greetings of the French president, highlighting the special and distinguished relations between the two countries.

Ties between Cairo and Paris have been enhanced as the North African country has recently bought warships, fighter jets and corvettes worth billions of U.S. dollars from France.

The total French investments in Egypt have also reached 4 billion dollars with 150 French companies operating in the most populous Arab country.

The French companies, which employ some 50,000 Egyptian workers, invest in the fields of food industry, pharmaceutical industry, construction, energy, communications, banking, software, transport and tourism.

Before his meeting with Sisi, Le Drian held talks with his Egyptian counterpart and discussed bilateral relations in political, diplomatic, economic, trade and cultural fields.

They also tackled issues of mutual interests including the Syrian crisis, the Palestinian cause and the situation in Libya as well as efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.

During his visit in Cairo, Le Drian also met with the Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

During their meeting, the Arab League chief said that France can play an important role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and an effective international player.

Spokesman for Aboul-Gheit, Mahmoud Afifi, said in a press statement that the meeting covered regional and international issues including the situations in the Palestinian territories, Syria, Libya and Yemen.

France takes active steps to support the lawful rights of the Palestinian people, atop of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, Aboul-Gheit said during the meeting.

The Arab League chief reiterated that France can press Israel to commit to international legitimacy resolutions.

They also discussed consequences of the recent airstrike conducted by France, the United States and Britain against the Syrian Army, Afifi said.

Aboul-Gheit and the French foreign minister also discussed ways to solve the Libyan crisis and achieve progress among the different Libyan factions, Afifi said, adding the escalation by the Houthi group in Yemen was also discussed. Enditem