Premier Minister, Foreign Minister explain Egyptian stance towards Tiran and Sanafir islands

 Premier Sherif Ismail and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry presented a detailed explanation about the conditions that made Egypt ink an agreement pertaining to the demarcation of the maritime borders with Saudi Arabia.

The signing of the agreement came during the visit paid by the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud to Egypt.

Before the meeting held between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and representatives of the Egyptian society, Ismail underscored that the agreement will not be implemented unless it is ratified by the Egyptian House of Representatives.

The prime minister tackled all evidence that the two islands are Saudi as he mentioned that King Abdelaziz demanded his Egyptian counterpart Farouq I to defend Tiran and Sanafir in 1950 as Saudi Arabia did not have the military abilities to protect them after the war of 1948.

Afterwards, Saudi Arabia addressed the United Nations in 17 April, 1957 to stress its sovereignty over the island.

The two islands were occupied by Israel after the war of 1967, the premier asserted, noting that after Camp David agreement the two islands were restored by Egypt.

Source: MENA