Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia Focused on Strengthening Cooperation and Combating Terrorism

The foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia met on Sunday in Cairo to discuss cooperation in combating terrorism and efforts to align the two countries' views on the conflicts in Yemen and Syria. According to an Associated Press report, in a press conference following the meeting, Adel al-Jubeir and Sameh Shoukry announced that they are seeking to strengthen bilateral relations and expand efforts to combat terrorism. In this context, Adel al-Jubeir, whose country recently hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and opened a center for combating terrorism in his presence, stated that 'the America represented by Donald Trump has emphasized its commitments in this regard, and Mr. Trump's presence at the historic Riyadh summit was a very strong indication of America's willingness to cooperate with Arab and Islamic countries.' At the same time, the Associated Press notes that neither of the foreign ministers mentioned the differences between Egypt and Saudi Arabia regarding regional disputes. The news agency writes that Saudi officials are major supporters of the opposition to the Assad government in Syria, while Egypt, concerned about the presence of Islamist militants among Assad's opponents, supports a political solution that could even lead to Bashar al-Assad remaining in power. Additionally, while Saudi Arabia expects Egypt to send troops to assist the Arab coalition against the Yemeni rebels, Egypt has refused to do so. Last autumn, after Egypt voted in favor of a UN Security Council resolution supporting Syria, Saudi Arabia suddenly halted oil shipments to Cairo. The resumption of these shipments in early spring this year, ahead of the Arab League summit, was intended to signal unity between the two countries at a time when the leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia were set to meet face-to-face. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and King Salman also met on the sidelines of Donald Trump's recent visit to Saudi Arabia, and in a symbolic image taken during the opening of the anti-terrorism center in Riyadh, they were present alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. In this context, Egypt emphasizes its continued severance of relations with Iran and its close relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry denied claims of the presence of its military forces in Syria. General Sisi stated: 'We support the Syrian army against extremist elements.' A phone call took place between Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, King Salman, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Donald Trump. Netanyahu reported 'significant developments' in Israel's relations with Arab countries. Sisi's speech regarding the transfer of islands to Saudi Arabia became controversial. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are constructing a joint bridge over the Red Sea.