Summit offers venue for Saudi-Egyptian fence mending

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on the sidelines of the 28th Arab summit held in Jordan, where he invited him to visit Saudi Arabia next month.

It was announced by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir, after a meeting between King Salman and Sisi, that the Egyptian president accept the invitation. 

The two sides discussed cooperation between both countries, hightlighting “the close ties between them”, Jubeir told reporters on the sidelines of the Arab summit.

The Saudi minister stated that the two leaders insisted on the solid and historic ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia,  adding that they see "eye to eye" on various regional issues.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri said discussions covered regional issues including the situation in Syria, where both countries agreed on the need for a political solution to end the bloodshed in Syria and save the lives of Syrians.

Discussions also covered the situation in Yemen, Shukri said.

Saudi-Egyptian relations have simmered over Syria and Yemen, as well as Egypt’s relations with Iran and Iraq’s Shiite-led government — both at odds with Riyadh.

Saudi King Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi discussed this issue which took place on the sidelines of the summit also Wednesday.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, this meeting focused on bilateral ties and regional developments.

Jubeir was quoted as warning against Iran’s interference in internal affairs of Arab states, through a process of “sowing seeds of sedition” and fuelling sectarianism.

The Saudi foreign minister stressed that such policies are hostile to Arab national security.

Also on Wednesday, King Salman received several leaders who took part in the Amman summit. 

source: Jordan Times