Egypt calls for starting the 'second phase' of Gaza peace and 'Israel's' withdrawal - Sarmad

(KUNA) – Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty once again called on Monday for a transition to the second phase of the US president’s peace plan, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation from the Gaza Strip, and the guarantee of aid flows. This came in a press statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a meeting between Minister Abdelatty and Singapore’s Minister for Foreign and Domestic Affairs, Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is currently visiting Cairo at the head of an official delegation. The statement quoted Abdelatty as saying that Egypt continues its efforts to consolidate the ceasefire, implement the understandings of the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement, and complete the roadmap, emphasizing the importance of supporting early recovery and reconstruction, and empowering the National Committee for the Management of Gaza in preparation for the return of the Palestinian Authority to fully exercise its responsibilities in the Strip and the West Bank. Regarding bilateral relations, Abdelatty expressed, according to the statement, his appreciation for the positive trajectory of Egyptian-Singaporean relations and the momentum they have gained in recent times, calling for the follow-up implementation of the outcomes of the Singaporean president’s visit to Egypt last year, including the agreements and memoranda of understanding signed by the two countries. He stressed the importance of continuing to develop institutional relations between Egypt and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), given the close ties between the two sides, noting that his country was among the first Arab and African nations to sign a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Association in 2016. For his part, the Singaporean minister expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s strenuous efforts to consolidate the ceasefire, implement the understandings of the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement, and complete the roadmap, as well as for the pivotal role Egypt plays in ensuring the entry of humanitarian and relief aid into the Gaza Strip.