Egypt, Poland call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

CAIRO, April 16 (KUNA) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty and his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, on Wednesday stressed the urgent need to return to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
This came in a joint press conference held in Cairo following bilateral talks between the two ministers.
During the talks, both sides agreed on the importance of coordinated efforts to end the war in Gaza and firmly rejected any plans involving the displacement of Palestinians from the territory.
Abdelatty stated that their discussions covered several regional issues, foremost among them the Palestinian cause, as it is the "the core of the conflict in the region." He added that the talks included a detailed review of the current situation in Gaza and the necessity of halting the ongoing Israeli aggression.
Both ministers emphasized the importance of returning to the ceasefire agreement signed on January 19, which would allow for the release of detainees, establish a sustainable truce, and put an end to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Abdelatty added that both sides agreed on the need to create a political horizon for establishing a Palestinian state based on June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, stating that this is the only guarantee for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people.
The Egyptian minister also noted that the talks addressed the situation in the Red Sea region, underlining the importance of freedom of navigation, as well as the ongoing crises in Libya, Syria, and Sudan.
They also tackled the Iranian nuclear file amid current negotiations between Tehran and Washington, and the broader international crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine.
On bilateral relations, Abdelatty said the discussions focused heavily on economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Both sides underscored the importance of increasing trade volume and encouraging more Polish investments in Egypt, while also resolving any outstanding issues related to these investments.
He further noted that the talks included discussion of the second tranche of the European Union's financial assistance package to Egypt, highlighting the importance of finalizing it quickly, especially as Poland currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.
On his part, Minister Sikorski emphasized that his visit to Egypt focused on the current global situation, reaffirming both countries' commitment to international order and the need to strengthen regional security and stability.
Sikorski pointed out that both Egypt and Poland face significant challenges, citing the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict in Gaza, growing tensions in the Red Sea, illegal migration, instability in Libya, and the civil war in Sudan, all of which have had a profound impact on regional and international security.
"I briefed Foreign Minister Abdelatty on the key points of Poland's EU presidency agenda," Sikorski said, highlighting the growing cooperation between Egypt and the EU under the partnership agreement signed last March.
He reiterated Poland's support for the second tranche of the EU's financial assistance to Egypt and expressed backing for the country's modernization and reform programs.
Sikorski also emphasized Poland's strong support for expanding economic cooperation with Egypt, expressing hope for increased collaboration in technology, petroleum industries, renewable energy, and military and security sectors. (end) asm.bb