CAIRO: Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi is in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for his first foreign visit since taking the helm as Egypt's first democratically elected president on June 30. The move is seen by many in Egypt and around the region as a strategic decision to ensure Saudi support for Egypt's weak economy, which has seen Saudi deliver aid packages to the country in recent months. In a statement on Tuesday ahead of his visit to the ultra-conservative Gulf country, Mursi highlighted the strategic relations between his country and Saudi Arabia. He said that King Abdullah's support for Arab causes has been instrumental for the region. “We hold King Abdullah and the Saudi people in high esteem and commend the king's sincere efforts to strengthen Arab cooperation and ensure the success of Arab causes," Morsi said in the statement published by MENA news agency. The president continued to say that Saudi-Egyptian relations could be used as a model for Arab cooperation. “We'll never forget Saudi Arabia's stances in support of Arab countries. Our relations are getting better," he added. Morsi continue to call on the two countries to continue to work together for the “interest of Arab countries, settle conflicts and strengthen Arab solidarity.” In Egypt, many liberal activists view the visit as an extension of Saudi influence over Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. They have accused the Islamic group of taking money for their recent campaigns from the Gulf country, accusations the leadership of the Brotherhood has denied.
