Egypt and Lebanon Advocate for a Sovereign Political Shift in Syria

Cairo, Jan 5 (NationPress) Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conducted phone discussions with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, during which they called for a political transition in Syria that is free from foreign interference.

The two ministers highlighted the significance of upholding the will of the Syrian people, safeguarding Syria's resources, unity, and territorial integrity, and the urgent necessity for a politically-led transition process guided solely by Syrians, as stated by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

In the discussions, they also addressed the pressing need for presidential elections in Lebanon, which has been without a president since early November 2022 due to ongoing political divisions within the parliament, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

Abdelatty underscored the critical need to achieve a national consensus to resolve the presidential vacancy in Lebanon without external interference, according to the statement.

These phone discussions were held shortly after Egypt sent its first relief flight to Syria following the demise of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in early December 2024.

Previously, Egypt had dispatched a relief aircraft to Syria's capital, Damascus, marking the first such mission since the fall of Assad's administration last month.

The EgyptAir commercial flight carried 15 tonnes of humanitarian aid, comprising food and medical supplies, which were provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, as stated by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The charge d'affaires of the Egyptian embassy in Damascus received the aid at the airport, as mentioned in the statement.

This assistance is part of Egypt's efforts to support the Syrian populace, reflecting the historical ties between the two nations.