On Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the recent announcement by President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi was received with great understanding and appreciation.
Shoukry said this was to be understood in the context of the political framework for Libya and the need to urge both warring parties to engage in dialogue in order to bring an end to the escalating conflict.
In a telephone interview aired on the Sada El-Balad channel, Shoukry said that President El-Sisi stressed the necessity of reaching an effective ceasefire in Libya.
He called on the parties not to resort to any military action and abide by the current red lines.
The Foreign Minister noted that military force will be a last resort to defend Egypt’s national interests and its western borders against any threats.
He reiterated that the Egyptian armed forces have the ability to legally protect their national security.
On Saturday, the Egyptian President stressed the need for a comprehensive settlement in Libya, noting that any direct Egyptian intervention would be legitimate and in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
He stated that Cairo would not allow any threat to the security of its western borders.
El-Sisi ordered the Egyptian army to prepare itself for any operation inside or outside the country amid growing tensions over Turkey’s intervention in Libya.
He said the Egyptian army was “one of the strongest in the region”.
“It is a rational army; an army that protects, and does not threaten… This is our strategy, our beliefs and our principles that will never change”, El-Sisi said.