We hope Syria will return to Arab environment: Egyptian diplomat
CAIRO, Egypt (North Press) – Gamal Bayoumi, the former assistant foreign minister of Egypt, said on Thursday that relations between Egypt and Syria are almost unaffected. He stressed the importance of Syria’s return to the Arab League again.
In statements to North Press from Cairo, the Egyptian diplomat commented on what happened in the testimony session presented by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ambassador Sameh Shoukry before the House of Representatives.
During the session, Shoukry reviewed Egyptian foreign relations and the most prominent challenges. The session also witnessed the demands of Egyptian parliamentarians for the return of relations with Syria.
“Relations, although outwardly, have been affected, but in practice they are as they were,” Shoukry said.
Bayoumi pointed out that the previous decision to cut ties was a hasty decision that was made during the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and it was a decision that Muhammad Morsi announced only upon his visit to the Arab League.
However, according to Bayoumi, Egypt maintained an interests section, managed by an ambassador. The name of the embassy changed only and became the interests section, and everything remained the same, with the same size of representation.
“Then we do not forget, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced this himself, that there is a very large Syrian community living in Egypt, amounting to a quarter of a million Syrians who work and are very active among us,” Bayoumi added.
He pointed out that Egyptian-Syrian relations are good, and expressed his hope that the Arab League would restore relations with Syria so that the situation is not affected. “We try to encourage all the different parties in Syria to return to their unity, because their unity is threatened by the Turkish invasion of northern Syria,” he explained.
He stressed that the file of Syria’s return to the Arab League needs to be discussed greatly with the Gulf States which have a negative stance on President Bashar Assad.
“Cairo’s position is clear. Egypt embraces all parties. We are hosting representatives of the Syrian government, as well as in contact with the angry parties (in reference to the moderate opposition), and we are trying to bring them closer, ” Bayoumi said of the Egyptian attitude toward Syria.
“The matter is complex, and we hope that Syria will return to its Arab environment,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry responded a few days ago to parliamentary demands to restore relations with Syria.