Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi directed him to convey a message of support and solidarity with the Lebanese people.
During a joint press conference at Rafiq Hariri International Airport Wednesday with Lebanese Minister of Environment and head of the National Emergency Committee Nasser Yassin, the Egyptian foreign minister stressed Egypt’s support for the Lebanese state institutions, as well as providing all forms of aid to the people of Lebanon.
The Egyptian foreign minister said that Egypt rejects a proposed condition for electing a Lebanese president to achieve a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Abdelatty said, “We will not stop, even for a single moment, our efforts to stop the Israeli aggression and provide all forms of support to the Lebanese people.”
He referred to ongoing contacts with international and regional parties, in order to bring the Israeli aggression against Lebanon to a halt.
Abdelatty said Egypt will spare no effort to work to immediately bring the Israeli aggression to a halt and reach a ceasefire in Lebanon as soon as possible, with a view to preserving the capabilities of the Lebanese people.
Egypt is holding contacts on daily basis with all international and regional parties, the United States, France, the European Union, along with Arab brethren to achieve that goal, said the minister.
Abdelatty further said Egypt fully supports Lebanon and provides all forms of support to help the Lebanese people in the current ordeal they are facing.
He said this aggression should not be allowed to continue under any pretext or justification saying, “We are looking forward to all goodness and stability for Lebanon.”
The Egyptian minister explained that this is the fourth shipment within the framework of the airlift established by the Egyptian leadership and government to support the Lebanese people, indicating that it is not a grant from Egypt, but rather a duty and responsibility towards its Lebanon brethren to provide all possible support.
“We will continue exerting every sincere and diligent effort to stop the brutal Israeli aggression, reach a ceasefire and provide all possible support, including relief aid, whether food, medical, shelter and all forms of aid,” he said.
Abdelatty said Egypt will continue offering humanitarian assistance to Lebanon upon directives of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
“Our goal is to stop this brutal aggression as quickly as possible as that aggression cannot be allowed to continue under any pretext, justification or excuse,” said the minister, voicing aspiration for stability in Lebanon.
Abdelatty said he is scheduled to hold a number of meetings with the Lebanese prime minister, parliamentarians, Commander of the Lebanese Army General Joseph Aoun and former head of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt, adding that the main goal is to convey a message of full support from the Egyptian leadership and people affirming Egypt’s keenness on stopping the Israeli aggression as quickly as possible.
He voiced interest in standing on the vision of senior Lebanese leaders and politicians regarding the current situation, along with intensifying efforts and pressure exerted by Egypt to cooperate with Arab and Islamic countries, the Western world, China, Russia, India and Brazil in this respect.
The minister said all the outcomes of Egyptian efforts are focused on one goal, which is to stop this aggression and systematic killings that are taking place amid shameful silence of the international community.
Electing a Lebanese president is an important issue as it highly contributes to supporting and empowering the Lebanese state institutions, including the Lebanese Army, Abdelatty said, underscoring Egypt’s clear stand in rejection of any foreign interference in Lebanese affairs.
The minister said that the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, held in Riyadh was an important summit, held at an essential time and resulted in important outcomes, referring to the formation of a follow-up mechanism and a six-party ministerial mechanism from a group of Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt entrusted with intensifying contacts with the international community
Meantime, he said contacts are going on with the current US administration, voicing hope cooperation with the new US administration on a number of files topped by stopping the Israeli aggression would lead to tangible results.
Arab and international parties should intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire to avoid any further aggression that would drag the region into a comprehensive war that would not serve the interests of any party, noted the minister.
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