‘Security of the Gulf states is security of Egypt,’ Sisi tells Kuwait ruler

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told Kuwait’s emir Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah in a meeting on Sunday that the security of the Gulf states is also the security of Egypt, stressing that Egypt will not allow threats to the stability and security of its “brother countries in the Gulf”, state news agency MENA reported.

Sisi, who arrived at Kuwait International Airport earlier this morning for a two-day visit, has renewed an invitation to Al-Sabah to visit Egypt, to which the latter promised that he would make the trip at the nearest opportunity.

Sisi and Sabah agreed the two countries should join efforts to encounter terrorism, and that the international community should strengthen efforts to reach political settlements to the region’s civil conflicts in a way that preserves the institutions of these countries, Egyptian presidenty spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

The meeting also saw a discussion on enhancing relations between the two countries as well as methods of consolidating Arab efforts.

The Egyptian president also met with Kuwaiti PM Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamed Al-Mubarak and a number of ministers and officials, including the Minister of Finance Anas Khaled, where they discussed Egyptian-Kuwaiti bilateral relations.

Sisi also discussed regional developments in a meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamed Al-Sabah.

The Arab Gulf country has backed Egypt’s economy with billions of dollars in oil shipments, cash grants and central bank deposits since the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Following his visit to Kuwait, the Egyptian president is set to head to Bahrain to meet with King Hamad Ben Eissa Al-Khalifa to discuss developing bilateral relations between the two countries as well as “foreign intervention” in the region.

Egypt has recently carried out several joint military exercises with Bahrain and other Gulf countries.

In March, Sisi met with several top UAE leaders, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, where he discussed the importance of intensifying Arab and international efforts to achieve political resolutions to the region’s various civil conflicts.

Sisi also stressed Egypt’s appreciation of its ties with the UAE and the support of the Gulf country to Cairo.

Source: Ahram online