EGYPT-KERRY/SHUKRI STATEMENT UPDATE Kerry, Shukri talks in Cairo focus on trade, combating terrorism

Record ID: 145320

  • Title: EGYPT-KERRY/SHUKRI STATEMENT UPDATE Kerry, Shukri talks in Cairo focus on trade, combating terrorism
  • Date: 2nd August 2015
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 2, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNITED STATES AND EGYPTIAN DELEGATIONS MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "The agenda for our delegations today is very broad. It ought to be. It includes the threat posed by Da'esh, which is serious. Just two days ago General Allen met in Canada 22 nations. We continue to b
  • Embargoed: 17th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAE4NJYIMOZ1UBKG9S22NPJH7RK
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri.
    opened strategic dialogue talks in Cairo on Sunday (August 2), with a focus on boosting economic ties and combating Islamic State (IS) in the region.
    In opening remarks, Kerry said there were several topics due to be discussed.
    "The agenda for our delegations today is very broad. It ought to be. It includes the threat posed by Da'esh, which is serious. Just two days ago General Allen met in Canada 22 nations. We continue to be deeply focused on Da'esh and we believe we're making progress. In the last two days, and this is something I know you all want to talk about, Turkey has come to the table. I know there are always concerns about what that means. But I can assure you, the activities are clear and delineated and we can discuss that in the course of the morning," Kerry said.
    Long a reluctant member of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, Turkey recently made a dramatic turnaround by granting the alliance access to its air bases and bombarding targets in Syria linked to the jihadist movement.
    Turkey and the United States are now working on plans to provide air cover for Syrian rebels and jointly sweep Islamic State fighters from a strip of land along the Turkish border, bolstering the NATO member's security and possibly providing a safe haven for civilians.
    Speaking in Cairo, Kerry also said authorities needed to work to prevent young people embracing extremist ideologies.
    "We all know that defeating terrorism requires a long term strategy. Border security and law enforcement actions are a significant part of the equation. But even the larger imperative is to persuade and prevent young people from turning to terror in the first place. Otherwise, no matter how many terrorists we bring to justice, those groups will simply replenish their ranks and we will not be safer, we will be involved in a round robin circular repetitive process. This means that our comprehensive strategy has to earn the support of religious authorities, educators and citizens who discredit hateful doctrines and who are ready and willing to build stronger and more resilient communities. The success will depend on building trust between the authorities and the public and enabling those who are critical of official policies to find the means of voicing their dissent peacefully through participation in a political process," he said.
    Egypt and the U.S. last held wide-ranging strategic talks in December 2009.
    Shukri said he hoped the current dialogue would "deepen" bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
    "The strategic dialogue today represents a serious opportunity for the two parties to review the different aspects of the Egyptian-American political, military and economic relationship and evaluate this relationship to review once again what we have achieved to serve the interests of the two nations," he said.
    Kerry will travel to Doha on Monday (August 3) to meet with counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, for talks U.S. officials say will concentrate on the Iran nuclear deal, the war in Syria and the battle against Islamic State.
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