Egyptian, British FMs hold phone talk on developments in Palestine, Libya, Nile Dam dispute
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his British counterpart Dominic Raab held a phone conversation on Tuesday to discuss regional issues including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Libyan crisis and the Nile dam dispute.
On the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Shoukry underlined the importance of achieving just and comprehensive peace based on the UN-proposed two-state solution, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement.
The phone talk came as Israel is planning to further annex occupied Palestinian lands, including the Jordan Valley and the northern West Bank.
The Egyptian top diplomat warned that any unilateral move would “undermine stability and peace opportunities in the region,” Hafez said.
Raab tweeted following his call with Shoukry that they held important discussions on the Middle East peace process and the UK’s support for a two state-solution, as well as other regional issues.
The two officials also discussed the situation in the war-torn Libya, which has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Shoukry warned against foreign intervention in Libya, stressing the need for “a comprehensive political solution” to restore the national state of Libya and its institutions.
They also addressed the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that Ethiopia is building on the Nile River.
Over the past few years, tripartite talks held by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the rules of filling and operating Ethiopia’s grand hydropower dam have been fruitless, amid Egyptian concerns that the GERD would affect Egypt’s annual share of Nile water.
Shoukry highlighted the necessity to reach “a comprehensive, fair and balanced agreement by the three countries on filling and operating the dam, while refraining from any unilateral action before concluding a prior agreement,” Hafez said.
The talks also discussed the growing Egyptian-British relations and their cooperation on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The UK remains committed to furthering our strong ties with Egypt to tackle the wider challenges posed by coronavirus,” Raab tweeted.
