MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Egyptian President Abdelfattah Elsisi, who received the Russian Foreign and Defence ministers in Cairo on Monday, confirmed his intention to develop strategic partnership with Russian, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said.
"The two ministers were received by the Egyptian president who noted that Egypt attaches great importance to the development and strengthening of the relations of mutual sympathy and fruitful partnership with Russia. Abdelfattah Elsisi especially pointed to the fact that the Russian-Egyptian consultations in the ‘2+2’ format, which were launched with his personal participation in November 2013, provide strong evidence that multifaceted ties between our two countries reached the level of strategic relations," the Ministry’s official said.
"The talks confirmed Moscow and Cairo’s mutual intention for further stepping up and strengthening of political interaction on the regional and international arena and multifaceted cooperation, including those in the trade, economic, military, technical and humanitarian spheres," the official said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the most pressing international aspects, with the focus on the developments in the Middle East and North Africa. "They paid great attention to the joint efficient fight against terrorism, resolving of the Syrian crisis, the Mideast settlement, as well as situation in Libya, Yemen, Iraq, and prospects for the setting up of the WMD-free zone in the Middle East," the diplomat said.
Under earlier reports, the Egyptian president on Monday received Russian Foreign and Defence ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu. Taking part in the meeting were the Russian ministers’ Egyptian counterparts, Sameh Shoukry and Sidqy Sobhy.