As part of the high-level meetings of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in the US, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shourky met his Italian counterpart Federica Mogherini and UN officials to discuss Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Libya, as well as ways to combat terrorism. Shoukry and Mogerini discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and how to develop them in various fields, as well as addressing regional and international issues of common interest. The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in Libya, and their implications for the Middle East, where Shoukry pointed at the intensive efforts made by Egypt in cooperation with Libya's neighbouring countries. He stressed the need to start a dialogue between the political parties that reject violence, in addition to emphasising the need for external sides to refrain from supplying illegitimate parties with weapons. Shoukry expressed the need for supporting Libya's legitimate institutions in order to achieve security and stability in the region. He also presented the results of the Madrid Conference on the Palestinian issue. Mogherini said that the economic aspect must be addressed to resolve the situation in Libya and to achieve stability, according to a Saturday Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement. Shoukry on Friday met with UN Undersecretary Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and with UN Director of the international Peace Institute Terje Roed-Larsen. They discussed Iraq's political and security situation and the importance of supporting the Iraqi government in the face of terrorism and division plans. Shoukry discussed the Syrian crisis with the UN officials and the importance of a political solution that would achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people and preserve the unity of the Syrian state. During the meetings, Shoukry talked about developments of the Palestinian issue and presented the Egyptian efforts, pointing at the current efforts to resume negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as well as Egypt's hosting of the conference of the reconstruction of Gaza, in coordination with the government of Norway, reflecting the return of Egypt's role in the region. Shoukry talked about the phenomenon of terrorism and the importance of solidarity of regional and international efforts to eliminate terrorist organisations deployed in the region, while having a comprehensive strategy for dealing with this threat to ensure the success of efforts to combat it. Larsen brought up the ministerial meeting to be held in New York on Monday to address the topic of reforming the United Nations, in which Shoukry will participate. On Friday Shourky attended the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq, where he said that the meeting is considered a reflection of the international will to face terrorist organisations, and sectarian divisions that have prevailed for more than a decade in the Middle East. It is the format that Egypt hopes to continue and intensify in order to preserve the momentum and consensus and unanimity of this confrontation, which may be long-standing, he said. The foreign minister emphasised the Egyptian position on Iraq's security, which requires concerted efforts to revive the concept of the national state away from political, sectarian or regional partisanship. Egypt relies on the Iraqi government to preserve local consent and equal representation of the various national parties and avoiding scenarios of division, he said, stressing that Egypt is committed to provide support for the Iraqi state, as well as cooperation for the elimination of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). Shoukry referred to Egypt's participation in the last Jeddah meeting to discuss possible methods to counter terrorist groups in the region, while giving due attention to fight ISIS in Iraq, said a Saturday foreign ministry statement. Shoukry mentioned Egypt's tendency, during the last Paris conference, to help the Iraqi government in its fight against terrorism and ensuring international support to the cause. He warned for the danger of terrorism for the Arab region and for extremist ideologies that hide behind religious slogans as a means of committing atrocities. Shoukry stressed the need not to overlook the political and cultural dimensions which contributed to the spread terrorism in a way that half-solutions can never deal with, something the international community should realise.
