Egyptian and Qatari Foreign Ministers hold talks in Doha
The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, held official talks in Doha. It is the first visit of an Egyptian foreign minister to Qatar since relations between the two countries soured in 2013 following the overthrow of late President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Shoukry went to the Qatari capital carrying a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, regarding the positive developments taking place in Egyptian-Qatari relations after the signing of the Al-Ula statement on 5 January.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ambassador Ahmed Hafez, said that Shoukry would participate in a consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers hosted by Qatar.
He will also be present in an extraordinary League Council session to discuss the GERD, held at the request of Egypt and Sudan.
Shoukry had stated that his country is working to leave the past behind and remove negativity regarding Qatar.
“When Egypt conforms to a legal framework, we faithfully implement what we agreed on in the Al-Ola statement; it always meets and respects its commitments. We established a mechanism to remove all issues that occurred between Egyptian-Qatari relations over the boycott years,” he said.
Regarding the invitation from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad to Sisi to visit Doha, Shoukry said that “the invitation is appreciated, and there will be an approach in the diplomatic framework for the appropriate timing for it and any other visit.”
