Sunday, July 21, 2013

Egypt to Reconsider Severed Syria Ties

Egypt to reconsider severed Syria ties: minister

AFP, Reuters , Saturday 20 Jul 2013

Newly-instated foreign minister says Egypt has 'no intention' to wage holy war in Syria, citing calls for jihad during June Syria conference

Egypt will "re-examine" diplomatic ties with Syria that were severed last month under ousted president Mohamed Morsi, the country's foreign minister, Nabil Fahmy, said on Saturday.

"The decision to cut full diplomatic ties with Syria will be re-examined," Fahmy told reporters.

"It doesn't mean they will resume or not resume," he added.

Famy went on to assert that Egypt has no intention of a waging a holy war against Syria, but still supports the Syrian peoples' desire for freedom.

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi last month joined a call by some Sunni clerics for a jihad against the Syrian government and its Shi'ite allies.

Signalling a different approach, the newly installed Fahmy told reporters: "There are no intentions for jihad in Syria."

However, he made clear that Egypt still supported change in Syria, where rebels are battling to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war that has killed more than 90,000.

"We support the Syrian people and their aspirations for freedom," Fahmy, a former Egyptian ambassador to the United States, told a news conference.

Morsi, deposed on July 3 and detained by the army, said last month that he had cut all diplomatic ties with Damascus and backed a no-fly zone over Syria, pitching the most populous Arab state more firmly against Assad.

Fahmy said there was no change to this decision, but that it was under review.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/76921.aspx

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