Ashraf AboArafe
On June 2 and 3, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sameh Shoukry, visited the Spanish capital, Madrid, during which he met with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albarez, to discuss various aspects of bilateral relations and ways to advance them, in addition to discussing… A number of priority regional issues for the two countries, most notably the developments in the security and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and joint efforts to revive the path of political settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution.
In a statement by Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and Director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he indicated that Minister Sameh Shoukry began his visit by meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albarez, where the two ministers held a closed session, followed by expanded bilateral discussions with the participation of the delegations of the two countries, which confirmed the common pride in the relations between the two countries. The historical friendship that brings the two countries together and the convergence of positions and visions towards common challenges and priority regional and international issues, and what this represents is an important basis for developing these relations and moving them forward during the coming period. The two sides also praised the level of close coordination regarding regional developments, which was reflected in the pace of successive high-level visits between the two countries in recent months.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that the expanded political consultations dealt with pursuing bilateral cooperation paths in various military, economic, cultural and tourism fields, and discussing the possibilities of moving these paths to broader horizons, especially in light of the momentum witnessed by Egyptian-European relations after raising them to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, and in a way that reflects Of course, to further improve Egyptian-Spanish relations. In this regard, Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed Egypt’s reliance on Spain’s continued supportive positions within the European Union, especially in connection with Egyptian priorities. The two sides also reviewed the progress made in implementing a number of joint economic projects in the field of railways and medical industries, where Minister Shukry welcomed the involvement of Spanish companies in projects to advance the Egyptian transport sector, expressing Egypt’s aspiration to expand the scope of the partnership between the two countries and build on this successful experience in many areas. Promising areas in Egypt include infrastructure, renewable and green energy, and electrical connectivity.
In this context, Minister Shukry conveyed the Egyptian government’s interest in the participation of major Spanish companies in the investment conference it is organizing in cooperation with the European Union at the end of this month to attract European investments to the Egyptian market, promote the investment opportunities it possesses in a number of promising sectors, and rely on Egypt as a starting point. To the Arab and African market. The consultations also touched on ways to strengthen efforts to confront common challenges, most notably illegal immigration, as Minister Shukri stressed the importance of addressing this phenomenon through a comprehensive approach that addresses its root causes by including the development dimension of efforts to combat this phenomenon, in addition to strengthening regular migration paths.
Regionally, Ambassador Abu Zeid stated that the two sides were keen to complete their intensive consultations following their last meeting on May 27 in Brussels regarding the developments in the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip at all levels, and the associated escalation in the West Bank and the Red Sea. Minister Shukri was keen to appreciate Spain’s efforts since the outbreak of the crisis to achieve a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to enter, as well as its courageous decision to recognize the Palestinian state in light of this delicate circumstance that the Palestinian issue is witnessing, which is added to a long record of Spanish support for the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The official spokesman added that the two sides discussed in detail the international moves to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the most recent of which is the joint call from the mediation countries (Egypt, Qatar, the United States) to both Israel and Hamas to conclude an agreement that achieves a ceasefire, releases hostages and detainees, ends the crisis, and spares… The region is sliding into a broader conflict. Minister Shukri also stressed the hoped-for role that Spain can play within the European Union to support this move and motivate both sides to respond positively to it. The two sides also consulted on future steps to enhance recognition of the Palestinian state as a step towards strengthening the path of the two-state solution to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue.
For his part, the Spanish Foreign Minister affirmed that his country will continue its efforts to contain the current crisis, achieve an immediate ceasefire, and enhance the entry of humanitarian aid into the sector, in addition to strengthening the path of the two-state solution as it is the only path that leads to achieving security and stability in the Middle East region. He also affirmed his country’s readiness to make all its efforts to support the current efforts to stop the war in Gaza, based on President Biden’s initiative. He also stressed the pivotal role played by Egypt in enhancing security and stability in the Middle East.
Regarding the Foreign Minister’s meeting with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain, “Pedro Sanchez,” Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid revealed that the meeting reflected the excellence of Egyptian-Spanish relations and the consensus of visions regarding issues in the Middle East region. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was keen to convey the greetings of the President of the Republic to the Spanish Prime Minister and his appreciation for the close consultation and coordination between them regarding the successive regional developments, stressing Egypt’s appreciation for Spain’s efforts to establish the foundations of regional security and stability in the Middle East.
The official spokesman stated that the meeting witnessed consultations on the outcome of the extensive communications being conducted Egypt is with both sides of the conflict and the relevant international and regional parties to stop this war and give priority to the political path to resolve this crisis, as well as addressing its roots by dealing with the Palestinian issue from a comprehensive perspective that guarantees the rights of the Palestinians to establish their state on the pre-June 4, 1967 lines in accordance with the relevant international references.
Minister Shoukry also expressed Egypt’s appreciation for the historic decision taken by Prime Minister Sanchez to recognize the Palestinian state, and Egypt’s aspiration for more European countries to follow Spain’s example, as it is a major pillar in the process of implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace in the region. He also pointed out Egypt’s aspiration for Spain’s support for the Egyptian-Qatari-American move to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would lead to an end to the ongoing war, in addition to its hoped-for role in mobilizing European support for this move.
The meeting also witnessed the two sides’ appreciation of the distinguished relations and their continuous growth at various political and economic levels in a way that achieves the interests of the two friendly countries. During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed Egypt’s aspiration to explore more new areas of joint cooperation, which will contribute to making it a role model in the field of cooperation relations between friendly countries.
For his part, the Spanish Prime Minister praised the tireless efforts made by Egypt at the political and humanitarian levels to reach a solution to end this humanitarian catastrophe to which the Palestinian people are exposed, stressing his country’s support for President Biden’s initiative to achieve an immediate ceasefire and enhance the access of the necessary humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip in light of the situation. He stressed the catastrophic and unprecedented humanitarian crisis that the Gaza Strip is witnessing, stressing his country’s position in support of implementing the two-state solution as a basis for a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue.
