Lead:
Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Egypt's foreign minister, met Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria's foreign minister, on Friday, November 13, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week forum in the United Arab Emirates. The discussion centered on developments in Syria and regional tensions. Abdel Aati reaffirmed Egypt's consistent position supporting Syrian territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty, while emphasizing the need to intensify regional and international efforts to de-escalate tensions and pursue political and diplomatic solutions to regional crises.
Details:
The meeting occurred within a broader context of diplomatic engagement across the Middle East. According to reporting from El Balad, official spokesperson Nader Zaki confirmed the Egyptian foreign minister stressed the importance of intensifying de-escalation efforts and containing regional tensions. Abdel Aati underscored the preference for political and diplomatic settlement mechanisms over military confrontation, signaling Cairo's commitment to a negotiated resolution of Syria's ongoing challenges.
The timing reflects Egypt's active role in regional conflict prevention. Syria has faced sustained internal instability and external pressures, and Egypt maintains diplomatic channels across multiple Arab states. The forum setting in Abu Dhabi provided a multilateral platform for bilateral engagement, allowing both ministers to address shared strategic interests within a broader Arab diplomatic framework.
No specific new initiatives or agreements were announced following the meeting. Zaki's statement confirmed the discussion remained focused on situation assessment and coordination between Cairo and Damascus on medium-term regional stability objectives. The reaffirmation of Egypt's support for Syrian sovereignty aligns with Cairo's consistent Arab League–backed position that external intervention should cease and Syrian territorial integrity be preserved.
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