Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said that Egypt seeks cooperation and understanding based on the rules of mutual respect for non-interference in the affairs of states. Speaking at a joint press conference with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, on Monday, Shoukry said the region faces challenges related to extremism and terrorism. He said that Egypt's participation in the Negev summit aimed to promote the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and, above all, achieve the rights of the Palestinian people. For his part, Al-Thani praised the importance of Egypt's pivotal role in the Arab region, stressing that "we will always be supportive to help and strengthen this role and to consolidate stability in the region." He also stressed that Egyptian-Qatari relations entered a new stage of communication and rapprochement and exceeded the previous stage, which was marred by some tensions. Furthermore, Al-Thani said he hoped the Egyptian national football team would qualify for the 2022 World Cup that will be held in Doha the end of this year. The two sides issued a final statement in which they praised the work of the members of the joint bilateral committees that emerged from the Al-Ula Declaration and the completion of their work in an atmosphere of professionalism and fraternal spirit. The statement said that a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding have been signed and a consensus reached on the topics on their agendas to serve their mutual interests. Moreover, the two FMs announced their decision to form a joint committee headed by the foreign ministers of the two brotherly countries with the aim of continuous consultation and strengthening cooperation and coordination in all fields.
