EGYPT-BLAST/ITALY FM Italy foreign minister visits Egypt after consulate attack

Record ID: 147281

  • Title: EGYPT-BLAST/ITALY FM Italy foreign minister visits Egypt after consulate attack
  • Date: 13th July 2015
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JULY 13, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SAMEH SHOUKRY (RIGHT), AND ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PAOLO GENTILONI (LEFT), TALKING GENTILONI SITTING DURING MEETING SHOUKRY SITTING DURING MEETING VARIOUS OF EGYPTIAN AND ITALIAN DELEGATIONS SEATED GENTILONI SPEAKING JOURNALISTS SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE GENTILONI
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA45UTJ2GQOPSWLNEWNSOSETXZ5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni visited Egypt on Monday (July 13), two days after a car bomb attack at the Italian consulate in central Cairo.
    Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack -- an escalation of violence that suggests militants are opening a new front against foreigners in Egypt.
    A health ministry spokesman said one Egyptian civilian was killed and 10 wounded. State news agency MENA separately said two policemen were among the wounded.
    Until now, Islamic State supporters in Egypt had not set their sights on Western targets, focusing instead on security forces.
    Gentiloni said that defeating terrorism required more than just military measures.
    "We are convinced completely that the fight against terrorism requires military and security but on the other hand it is a religious and cultural war until we dry the sources of terrorism," Gentiloni told a joint news conference with with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry .
    Shoukry made a reference to recent high-profile attacks in other nations.
    "Terrorism works in a vile way. It aims at implementing what we witnessed in Kuwait, Tunisia, France, and other European countries, attacks in the Sinai and the killing of the prosecutor general in Cairo. These horrid actions target the innocent and have specific goals to destabilise nations and to pressure them economically, which we are working on trying to avoid."
    One of the toughest security crackdowns in Egypt's history has weakened the mainstream Muslim Brotherhood group, blamed by security officials for small-scale bombings.
    The Brotherhood, removed from power by the army in 2013, says it is a peaceful movement.
    Meanwhile Islamic State's Egyptian affiliate, based in the Sinai, remains resilient despite steady pressure from military fighter planes, Apache helicopters and ground troops.
    Recently renamed Sinai Province, it has been escalating bombing and shooting attacks on soldiers and police since the military deposed President Mohamed Mursi of the Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. Hundreds have died.
    The attack at the Italian consulate raises the stakes in the struggle between militants and the government.
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