After 6-year hiatus, Egypt, US resume strategic talks

CAIRO

Egypt and the United States on Sunday resumed strategic dialogue talks after a six-year hiatus, following U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s arrival to the country one day earlier.

“The launch of the strategic dialogue today is a serious chance for the two sides to review the different aspects of the Egyptian-American relationship – politically, militarily and economically,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said in opening remarks.

Egypt, he said, “looks forward to the continuation of close cooperation” with a view to guaranteeing both countries’ security and encouraging the U.S. to take advantage of economic opportunities available in Egypt.

Kerry, for his part, reiterated Washington’s longstanding support for Egypt.

“The American people are committed to the security and economic well-being of the Egyptian people,” he asserted.

- Security assistance

Washington’s top diplomat went on to note that the U.S. had provided Egypt with security assistance in the form of recent consignments of F-16 fighter jets, Apache helicopters and armored vehicles.

The U.S., Kerry said, would continue to deliver “aid and training... in an effort to build [Egypt’s military] capacity.”

Last week, the U.S. delivered eight F-16 fighter jets to Egypt as part of a military aid package.

“The friendship between our countries isn’t based on some kind of perfect agreement,” Kerry said. “It’s based on an intense awareness of our shared interests in the areas of regional security and counter-terrorism.”

Kerry is also expected to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi later on Sunday before setting out for Qatar.

Egypt-U.S. relations soured in mid-2013 when the Egyptian military ousted and imprisoned Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically-elected president, after which Washington suspended $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt.  

Ties between the longstanding allies have since recovered, however, with the U.S. announcing the resumption of its annual military aid package to Egypt earlier this year.

Cairo and Washington last held strategic dialogue talks in 2009.