Shoukry: Jerusalem decisions of OIC summit complement each other

CAIRO - 14 December 2017: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the decisions on Jerusalem issued by the emergency meeting of the Arab League ministerial council and the extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) complement each other.

In statements to MENA on Thursday, Shoukry said all parties exerted strenuous efforts with the aim of protecting the holy city of Jerusalem and keep its identity and legal status.

Shoukry took part in the OIC extraordinary summit, which was held in Istanbul on Wednesday, on behalf of President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi.

Meanwhile, Shoukry said, during his participation in the final session of the unofficial meetings of the African Union and African Commission permanent delegates committee, that contacts are currently underway with the Ethiopian side to set a date for convening a meeting of the higher Egyptian-Ethiopian Higher Committee.

Shoukry revealed that he will pay a visit to Addis Ababa soon for talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

As per the resumption of the Russian flights to Egypt after the news of a visit by Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi to Moscow, Shoukry termed such "executive" steps as an outcome of the recent contacts made with the Russian friends to enhance Egypt's potentials and its abilities to manage and secure its airports.

He said the agreement with the Russian side would enhance such cooperation and put it in a legal framework.

The Egyptian top diplomat voiced hope that such steps and measures to resume direct flights between Cairo and Moscow would help in revamping the Egyptian economy as the Russian tourism movement is very important for Cairo.