Cairo, Egypt (CNN) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi denied the existence of disagreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, calling on the media and users of social media platforms not to be drawn into attempts to stir up strife, while parliamentarians and party heads confirmed that President El-Sisi’s statements officially confirm the lack of Having a dispute with the Kingdom, and embodying the strong relationship between the two countries.
Social networking sites have recently witnessed exchanges of posts and press articles between writers from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which suggested a dispute between the two countries.
During the inauguration of one of the industrial projects, Sisi said, “Egypt’s policy has always been characterized by moderation, balance and strict discipline towards everyone at home and abroad.”
He added, “I follow social media, and sometimes I see excessive enthusiasm. I do not want to say transgressions,” explaining that he does not refer in his speech to internal issues, but rather to “issues related to our relationship with our brothers,” stressing that “it is something that must be carefully paid attention to because it reflects The extent to which we understand and value relationships with siblings.
Al-Sisi warned against drifting behind what he described as ” tendentious websites that want to ” stir up strife between us and our brothers “, and against discussing ” issues without foundation or background ” and from talking about ” matters that may have no basis in truth “.
He called for saying “good words or silence,” and said that “these words also apply to our media, in which we do not interfere,” adding that “we should only write in favor of improving and supporting relations, and not the other way around.”
Al-Jumhuriya newspaper had published an article by its editor-in-chief Abdel-Razek Tawfiq, which many considered an attack and an insult to the Saudis, but he did not mention any country in that article, before the newspaper deleted it, and published another article by the editor-in-chief entitled: “Cairo and Riyadh… the beating heart of the Arab world.” “, stressing “appreciation, respect, pride and pride in the relationship between Egypt and its sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The Egyptian president affirmed that “our relations are good with everyone, and this is an approach that we follow not from today but since assuming responsibility, and a path that we follow even in major crises and disagreements. “.
He added, “I will say a hypothesis that does not exist. If there is a crisis, do I prolong my tongue and say uncontrolled words that are not appropriate when we do this, such as communication sites or even some articles that I see with our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or any country.” He continued by saying: “We are keen, and this is the direction of the state, and I hope that all of us, as citizens, pay attention and not be led behind sites that intend sedition.”
Al-Sisi reiterated his assertion that “our relationship is good with everyone,” and said: “Even in the most difficult circumstances – I do not want to say the names of countries now – but as you can see we have overcome them, and I knew that even if there was a dispute with a sister country during the past years, we would overcome it.” In apparent reference to the crisis of severing relations with Qatar, which ended with reconciliation after years of disagreement.
Al-Sisi concluded his speech by saying: “If there is a line or a statement, we will officially say it as a state, but if we do not declare this, then this means that all things are good.” He called for caution, not to offend, and to work to improve relations.
For his part, journalist Mustafa Bakri, a member of the Egyptian Parliament, said that there is no official crisis in relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and “what happened is just a media war on social media, which sought to offend the relationship between the two countries,” he said in statements to CNN in Arabic. He said, “Egypt does not have any differences with any other Arab country, especially since the challenges facing the Arab nation at the present time are greater than any differences or attempts to offend.”
Bakri added that Sisi’s statements “officially deny the existence of differences with Saudi Arabia, and reflect the true feelings towards our Saudi brothers.”
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s last announced official visit to Riyadh was last December, during which he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. To discuss bilateral relations between the two countries on the economic and investment levels, and to launch more joint projects, according to an official statement.
Bakri stressed that “Egypt does not forget the role of Saudi Arabia in the most difficult circumstances it lived through, especially after the June 30 revolution.” Bakri said that the late Saudi monarch, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, was “the first to support this revolution alongside the UAE, and the late Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal went to the European Union to prevent a decision against Egypt, and threatened to withdraw Saudi investments from European countries.” If you take a stand against Egypt.
Al-Sisi previously praised the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the “June 30 Revolution”, recalling the role of Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who traveled to Paris to support Egypt externally, according to Al-Sisi’s statements during his participation in the “Story of a Homeland” conference in 2018.
Bakri ruled out the influence of media exchanges on social media on the relationship between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and said: “We do not deny Saudi Arabia’s efforts and its role in supporting Egypt, and we denounce any abuse of the relationship between the two countries. The Egyptian and Saudi peoples are Arab peoples whose hopes and problems are the same, and President Sisi’s statements are a message to everyone that We rise above insults, and stop any attempt to stir up strife, because the relationship between the two countries is firm, especially since they are two pivotal countries in the region.”
For his part, Sayed Abdel Aal, head of the Tagammu Party, said that Sisi “realizes that relations with Arab countries are built on the basis of a common history in facing risks, and that the best solution to disputes with Arab countries is through discussions and finding consensual formulation, and therefore it is not the role of the media to provide advice or Criticisms impede this fraternal way of resolving differences.
Abdel-Al added, in statements to CNN in Arabic, that Egypt “is not in a dispute with international parties, except according to its interests, nor does it see it as a rivalry, but rather a disagreement in each party’s assessments of its interests, whether this party is in a strategic relationship with Egypt or within the framework of an international bloc such as World Trade Organization, and similar organizations.
In turn, Hossam El-Khouli, deputy head of the “Nation’s Future” party and head of the party’s parliamentary body in the Senate, said, “Relationships between countries remain by virtue of interests, and press articles or comments on social media platforms cannot affect them,” adding that Egypt “has relations It is a firm official relationship with its brothers from the Arab countries, and even at the popular level, Egyptians have appreciation and love for their Arab brothers.