Fahmy presses Arab League chief on activating terrorism convention

Joel Gulhane
2 Min Read
Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy (AFP Photo)
Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy  (AFP Photo)
Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy
(AFP Photo)

In a meeting with Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil El-Araby on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Fahmy discussed Egypt’s request for Arab League countries to implement the 1998 Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism in light of the terrorist designations handed down in Egypt.

Egypt has called for the convention to be implemented since December last year, a day after the cabinet’s decision to label the group a terrorist organisation, which was upheld by the Cairo Court for Urgent Matters in February. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also labelled the Brotherhood a terror organisation and Egypt is looking for other Arab countries to follow suit.

The foreign ministry has also requested an international recognition of the decision.

Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis was also officially designated a terrorist group by the same court on Monday. The United Kingdom and the United States did so earlier in April.

Interim President Adly Mansour called for the convention to be implemented during the Arab League Summit in Kuwait at the end of March.

The Muslim Brotherhood has continuously denied involvement in terrorist activity inside Egypt and refused the designation; however, security forces often attribute violence to “elements” or “supporters” of the group.

Fahmy and El-Araby also discussed a range of regional issues including the conflict in Syria, the political and security situation in Libya and the ongoing final status negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

 

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Joel Gulhane is a journalist with an interest in Egyptian and regional politics. Follow him on Twitter @jgulhane
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