MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Neutralization of extremists operating in the Sinai Peninsula meets the interests of all countries in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper.
"Moscow fully supports Cairo’s efforts to counter terrorism, including the normalization of the situation in Sinai. We are certain that the neutralization of the extremist and terror groups operating on the peninsula, which seek to extend their influence to other areas of the country and split the Egyptian society, meets the interests of both Egyptians themselves and all countries in the Middle East," he said.
"Russia and Egypt have a common stance on the threats facing the Middle East region, including international terrorism. We hold expert consultations with our Egyptian partners and working meetings on the issue, take part in joint counterterrorism exercises," the minister stressed.
According to Lavrov, terrorism can only be eradicated by pooling efforts of the entire global community based on international law. "Russian President Vladimir Putin’s well-known initiative to create a broad UN-brokered counterterrorism coalition is aimed at resolving that issue," he pointed out.
The Egyptian army and the Interior Ministry have been conducting a counterterrorism operation for more than a year now. Unlike the previous ones, it is being conducted in the northern part and in the center of the Sinai Peninsula and also in the Nile Delta and in the desert in the west of the country. Field army units, law enforcement officers, border guards, air and naval forces are involved in the operation.