Atlanta, United States (CNN) – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will head to Syria and Turkey tomorrow, Monday, in the first official visit by an Egyptian foreign minister to either country in a decade, amid strained relations with the two countries.
A statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the trip aims to “convey a message of solidarity from Egypt with the two countries and their two brotherly peoples,” after the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey earlier this month.
The Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament, Hanafi al-Jabali, visited Damascus on Sunday, along with the speakers of the parliaments of Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, the UAE and Libya, where they met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“The visit comes to show solidarity with the Syrian people and to express their support after the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country on February 6,” al-Jabali said, according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).
Al-Jabali added, “There is a strong historical bond between the two sisters, Egypt and Syria,” explaining: “We came here to our people.. We are here in our country to support them and stand by them, and we do not wait for Syria to come to us. We are the ones who come to it because it is our country. All the love and affection for the people of Syria.” We are with you in one line, this visit of ours is a sign of love for our people in Syria, and we hope that our mutual visits will be repeated, and we wish Syria and its great people security, stability and prosperity.
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