Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Sunday, where he condemned what he called “continuous Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty” and affirmed Egypt’s support for a political settlement to the country’s crisis.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Abdelatty reiterated the fixed principles of Egypt’s position, which is based on preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Syria and the security of its people, the ministry said. He stressed that achieving the desired stability requires a comprehensive transitional political process that accommodates all components of the Syrian people. He also emphasized the importance of continuing counter-terrorism efforts to restore Syria’s stability and its natural role in the region.
“The minister condemned in the strongest terms the continuous Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty, including the bombing that targeted sovereign Syrian institutions following the events in Suwayda,” the statement read. “He affirmed Egypt’s categorical rejection of Israel’s exploitation of the current Syrian situation and its violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which represents a serious threat to regional security and stability.”
At the start of the meeting, Abdelatty expressed appreciation for the intensive efforts made by the U.N. envoy over more than six years in the service of the Syrian cause, praising his commitment and role in supporting the path to a political settlement.
The meeting concluded with an affirmation of Egypt’s support for the U.N.’s role in sponsoring the Syrian political process and its readiness to cooperate with the special envoy to reach a comprehensive settlement that preserves Syria’s unity and sovereignty and achieves the aspirations of its people.
