Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has said his country is keen to stand by Iraq and develop the bilateral cooperation in all domains.
Sisi made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with visiting Iraqi Vice President Ayad Allawi in the presence of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and acting Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Egyptian President reiterated Egypt’s support of Iraq’s efforts to fight extremism and restore security and stability, calling for enhancing national unity to thwart the attempts to foment sedition among Iraqis, Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.
Sisi also expressed hope that a national and strong government would be formed in Iraq to represent all segments of the society, stressing that Egypt would welcome any results that will satisfy all sides in the Arab country.
The two sides also discussed the latest developments in Iraq to form a new government after the recent elections and the possibility of Iraq benefiting from Egypt’s experiment in the reconstruction of the areas devastated by war, Rady said.
For his part, Allawi expressed Iraq’s appreciation for Egypt’s support, saying Egypt is a cornerstone of security and stability in the Arab region.
He also underlined the important role played by national institutions in Iraq to fight extremism and end sectarian conflicts.
IANS