UK officials visit Sisi, discuss relations

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi welcomed a U.K. offer to train Egyptian officers in the field of human rights, saying it would enhance Egypt’s ability to ensure the rights enshrined in the new constitution, presidential spokesperson Ihab Badawy said in a Wednesday statement.
 
Kim Darroch, The U.K.’s Prime Minister National Security Adviser, Lieutenant General Simon Mayall, the Middle East Adviser of the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense, and the U.K.’s ambassador to Cairo James Watt met with President Sisi Wednesday, where Darroch delivered a written message of congratulations from Prime Minister David Cameron to the new president.
 
He also said the U.K. supports Egypt position in any negations with the International Monetary Fund and emphasized his country’s interest in investment in Egypt.
 
“Terrorism and extremism are not an internal challenge suffered by Egypt only, but regional reality indicate that it’s a challenge for whole region,” the statement quoted Sisi as saying during the meeting.
 
Failure to remedy the situation in the tense spots n the Middle East would perpetuate and expand terrorism to neighboring countries, including European Mediterranean countries, Sisi said.
 
In May, Peter Wall, Chief of the General Staff, and Mayall visited Egypt and met with Minister of Defense Sedqi Sobhi to discuss the promotion of joint military cooperation, MENA reported.
 
The U.K. suspended 49 licenses for the export of military and police equipment in August following the forcible dispersal of Rabaa al-Adaweya sit-in, The Guardian reported.
 
In November, however, the British government resumed 24 export licenses to Egypt to “support the Egyptian security forces in combating terrorism,” according to a statement from the British embassy in Cairo.
 
Sisi also said that Egypt is “fully aware” of the complexities of terrorism in Wednesday’s meeting.
 
Cameron ordered a probe into the Muslim Brotherhood late March, but Brotherhood leaders in the U.K., while saying they have nothing to hide, regretted the move and claimed it is influenced by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.