ISTANBUL

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

During the meeting, Abdelatty reaffirmed “Egypt’s consistent position on the need to preserve Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and the role of its national institutions,” stressing that this would “guarantee the restoration of full sovereignty and safeguard the resources of the Syrian people.”

“A political process with the participation of all components of Syrian society remains the cornerstone for achieving sustainable stability,” said the diplomat.

The top Egyptian diplomat also underlined the importance of “continuing efforts to combat terrorism and extremism,” noting that Cairo views “Syria’s recovery and return to its natural role within the Arab and regional environment as a key objective that strengthens Arab national security.”

Abdelatty further reiterated Egypt’s “categorical” rejection of Israel’s repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty, warning against “attempts to exploit current conditions to justify foreign interventions.”

He stressed that Egypt continues to use its “regional and international engagements to emphasize the need to respect Syria’s unity and full sovereignty and to reject any attempts to undermine its security.”

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes targeting military sites and assets across Syria, including fighter jets, missile systems, and air defense installations.

Israel also expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

Since Assad’s ouster in late 2024, Syria’s new administration has pursued political and economic reforms while promoting social cohesion and working to expand cooperation with regional and international partners.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. Sharaa’s new transitional administration was formed in January.