Egyptian-Iraqi meeting to discuss bilateral relations

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received  Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi in Cairo on Sunday, to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

During the presidential palace meeting, Al-Sisi also asserted that Egypt supports Iraq in its war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

Al-Sisi said his governments would provide aid and support to Iraq, asserting that “Egypt’s security is entwined with Iraqi security”.

The Iraqi premier emphasised the “victories that the Iraqi forces of all kinds and divisions achieve”. He added that “the Iraqi government is determined on freeing all the lands that the terrorist gangs of ISIS occupy”, according to a statement from Al-Abadi’s press office.

Al-Abadi met also with Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, with whom he discussed an agreement to provide Egypt with Iraqi oil.

He said during a press conference with Mehleb that “we are seeking common interests with Egyptians and this is something important”.

Mehleb said Egypt is willing to offer contributions from Egyptian construction companies “to help the plan to construct Iraq”.

The Egyptian prime minister also said that the Egyptian and Iraqi petroleum ministers will meet to discuss the possibility of providing Egypt with Iraqi oil.

Al-Abadi explained that there is a “security problem” with some of the oil producing areas in Iraq. However, he confirmed that “we will reach an agreement with Egyptian officials to provide them with their petroleum needs”.

Youssef added that the Iraqi delegation headed by Al-Abadi met also with a Egyptian companies representatives to discuss ways to contribute to building a modern Iraq.