President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has given an interview to Spanish daily "El Mundo" on the occasion of his visit to Madrid set for Thursday. In the interview, Sisi reviewed the developments in Egypt during the last few years, Presidential Spokesman Alaa Youssef said. The president stressed that the Egyptian people sought change to protect the identity and potentials of their State. "Democracy simply means the will of the people and the freedom of choice," Sisi said. As for countering terrorism, Sisi called on the international community to join forces to uproot terror. "Facing terrorism should not be limited to the military and security agencies but should include the development dimension and the renewal of religious discourse," Sisi said. He called for highlighting the values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and acceptance of others who have different beliefs and thoughts. The president asserted that the State is determined to holding the parliamentary elections to complete Egypt's democratic institutions. Sisi also tackled a number of regional issues, including the Palestinian cause and the situation in Yemen, Syria and Libya. On the Egyptian-Spanish relations, Sisi stressed that Egypt was looking forward to bolstering these ties. He asserted the importance of the Mediterranean dimension in Egypt's foreign policy.
