Serbian, Egyptian presidents agree to boost military cooperation

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Serbia and Egypt on Wednesday expressed a desire to develop bilateral military cooperation.

Addressing a joint press conference in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed to further enhance ties between the two countries.

“I think we can cooperate with Egypt militarily because ... we have a lot to offer to each other,” said Vucic.

Describing Sisi's visit as historic, he announced the resumption of a direct flight route to Cairo, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other charter flights to Egyptian resorts.

Sisi, meanwhile, said Egypt believes in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, adding that the crisis in Ukraine should be resolved through talks.

During the visit, the two countries signed 13 cooperation protocols as part of the mutual strategic partnership, including one on the abolition of visas for holders of diplomatic, official, and social passports.

Vucic and Sisi also approved a joint declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The declaration envisages political coordination on bilateral and international issues, cooperation in the areas of defense and security, economic cooperation based on free trade agreements, and cooperation in the areas of agriculture and energy with an emphasis on the development and diversification of gas and other energy sources.

After the press conference, the two leaders attended the opening of the Serbia-Egypt Business Forum, while Vucic also presented Sisi with the Order of the Republic of Serbia.