President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi spoke to and met with a number of heads of state this week to discuss combating terrorism. On Wednesday, the president spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the phone, in which he offered his condolences for the murder of the Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov in Turkey. "The president reiterated that the recent terrorist attacks that took place in different parts of the world require concerted efforts by the international community to effectively combat terrorism," a presidential statement read. Karlov was shot dead while giving a speech in an art exhibition in Ankara. The ambassador's funeral was held Thursday. The presidency's statement also said that Russia plans to resume flights between Cairo and Moscow "in light of the conclusion of the security and technical assessments jointly conducted." Also on Wednesday Al-Sisi received the Iraqi minister of foreign affairs Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, in the presence of the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Al-Sisi rejected any interference in Iraq's internal affairs, saying he admires the country's military efforts in fighting terrorist in Mosul and insisting on Egypt's support for Iraq's anti-terrorism efforts. Moreover, Al-Sisi also received Malta's minister of foreign affairs George Vella on Wednesday. They discussed cooperation on regional issues focusing on Mediterranean countries. Malta is set to head the European Union in January, and they aim to prioritise issues Mediterranean countries are facing, according to the statement. Earlier on Monday, Al-Sisi received Lebanon's foreign minister, Gebran Bassil. Welcoming the formation of a new national unity government led by prime minister Saad Hariri, Al-Sisi highlighted the need to continue coordination on the unprecedented challenges facing the Arab world as a result of the crises in a number of its countries, which have offered "a fertile ground for the expansion of terrorist and extremist organisations," according to a presidential statement. On Monday, Al-Sisi met with Tunisian minister of foreign affairs Khemaies Jhinaoui. The duo spoke about the situation in Libya and ways to support efforts to restore security and stability in the country, given the direct implications the developments in Libya have on Egypt and Tunisia.
