Shoukry starts 3-leg European tour

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is due to embark on a European tour on Sunday including Germany, Belarus and Romania.

The visits aim at boosting relations with the three countries, as well as holding consultations on a set of regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The first leg of Shoukry's tour would be Berlin where he would stay for a few hours and confer with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said on Saturday.

Shoukry and Gabriel will have talks on a number of bilateral and regional issues of common interest, topped by the Libyan crisis, the peacemaking process in the Middle East and means of combating illegal migration, the spokesman added.

Following Berlin's visit, Shoukry will head for Belarus where he will meet with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and hand him a message from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Abu Zeid said.

Sisi's message underscores Cairo's keenness on maintaining continued coordination with Minsk in all fields.

During his visit to the eastern European country, Shoukry is set to convene with his Belarus counterpart as well as the minister of trade, the spokesman stated.

The Egyptian top diplomat will visit Bucharest on August 29 and will hand over Romanian President Klaus Iohannisa a message from Sisi on Egypt's interest in developing relations with the European country.

Source: MENA