Bahraini king's visit to Cairo

The Egyptian people will not forget the Bahraini king's visit to Egypt after the June 30 revolution, which was the first by an Arab Gulf leader at that time, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said on Tuesday.

Sisi made the comments at a joint press conference with Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa in Cairo.

"The king's current visit is particularly important amid serious challenges facing us," President Sisi said.

"Egypt will always appreciate Bahrain's stance supportive of the Egyptian people's will after the June 30 revolution," he added.

The Egyptian leader stressed that the distinguished relations between Egypt and Bahrain will help overcome joint challenges to preserve their security and stability and face any attempt to interfere in the Arab countries' affairs.

Egypt always stands by the Kingdom of Bahrain against any external threat or attempts to undermine it, he reaffirmed.

The spread of terrorism and extremism threatens the security and stability of "our nations and peoples," and coordination shall be maintained to combat this phenomenon, he added.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa stressed that his country would harness its political, economic and trade potentials to serve Egypt in appreciation for its pioneering role and people.

Speaking at a press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo, the king lauded Egypt's historic stances towards the Arab causes, including the peace process in the Middle East.

"Bahrain is keen on upgrading the level of cooperation with Egypt in various fields," he said.

The king also stressed the Bahraini people's appreciation for Egypt's pivotal role in the region.

He praised President Sisi's initiative to form an Arab military force to face challenges in the region.

He asserted the importance of boosting military cooperation between Egypt and Bahrain to support security and stability in the region.

He expressed satisfaction over the outcome of a meeting of the joint Egyptian-Bahraini committee and the signing of several memoranda of understanding that would benefit the two countries and peoples.

The monarch asserted that his country, and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are facing blatant interference from Iran in their internal affairs, which requires cooperation among all Arab countries.

Source: MENA