Saudi Arabia, Egypt affirm shared interests, ‘absolute understanding’ on common goals

CAIRO — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed Tuesday that Saudi Arabia and Egypt share the same interests and goals and have an absolute understanding on issues concerning both countries.The two leaders made the remarks during talks in Cairo as part of the Crown Prince’s working visit to Egypt, according to the Egyptian presidency.Crown Prince and Egyptian President affirmed that the security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states is an integral part of Egypt’s national security.The two leaders held a closed-door meeting in Cairo, followed by expanded talks attended by delegations from both countries as part of the Crown Prince’s working visit to Egypt.Egyptian presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy said the talks reflected full agreement that Saudi-Egyptian relations should remain a model within the Arab world and that the current circumstances require greater solidarity and coordination between the two countries.Egypt expressed its “complete rejection and condemnation” of any attacks or threats against Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity, as well as threats to freedom of navigation in international waterways.El-Sisi stressed Egypt’s support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its security and stability. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for his part, expressed appreciation for Egypt’s solidarity with the Kingdom in confronting recent geopolitical challenges and for Cairo’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability.The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the freedom and security of maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al-Mandab and the Red Sea. They also stressed the importance of reaching a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the crisis in Yemen.On bilateral relations, the Crown Prince and El-Sisi agreed to intensify efforts to develop and implement practical measures to expand cooperation and remove obstacles to increasing trade and investment between the two countries.The two sides said economic relations should be elevated to a level reflecting the historic ties and strategic proximity between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.El-Sisi welcomed the Crown Prince’s visit and praised the depth of relations between the two countries. He conveyed his greetings to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and congratulated the Saudi leadership and people ahead of the Kingdom’s National Day on Sept. 23.The Crown Prince thanked El-Sisi for the congratulations and hospitality, conveyed King Salman’s greetings and highlighted the continued development of bilateral relations and the two countries’ shared commitment to exploring new areas of cooperation.The talks also covered the Palestinian issue, with the two leaders reaffirming their support for a just and comprehensive settlement based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy.They called for implementation of the second phase of the US president’s peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, sufficient humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, and an end to Israeli violations in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.On Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt reaffirmed their support for the country’s security, stability and national institutions and rejected equating the Sudanese Armed Forces with militias or other parallel entities they described as illegitimate.They stressed that any threat to Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity would pose a danger to the collective security of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the wider region.The two leaders agreed to maintain direct consultation and coordination on bilateral issues and regional developments in the coming period.