About a week after a side meeting between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad Badr Abdelatty met Sunday, May 3, with Syrian Foreign Minister and Expatriates Asaad al-Shaibani in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Minister Abdelatty and his Syrian counterpart, al-Shaibani, discussed relations between the two countries. Abdelatty explained Egypt’s position on the Syrian crisis since its beginning, stressing the need to combine efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in all their forms and deal with the phenomenon of foreign fighters.
Egypt Supports Syrians’ Aspirations
During the visit, according to Egypt’s Al-Youm al-Sabea (Youm7) website, the two ministers held an expanded round of talks, with the participation of Egyptian Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem and Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar. The talks addressed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and coordinate positions on current regional developments.
At the end of the talks, Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, the official spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated the course of the meeting. He said Minister Abdelatty affirmed that Egypt’s position on the Syrian crisis has been based, since its outbreak, on clear principles stemming from sincere concern to support efforts aimed at restoring security and stability, and preserving Syria’s unity and the cohesion of its national fabric, according to him.
Minister Abdelatty renewed Egypt’s support for the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people in all their components, stressing full respect for Syria’s sovereignty, unity, stability, and territorial integrity.
The Egyptian minister called for preserving Syria’s national state institutions and rejecting any external interference in its internal affairs, in a way that meets the Syrian people’s legitimate aspirations to establish the foundations of comprehensive internal stability.
Abdelatty Calls for Addressing Foreign Fighters
The Egyptian foreign minister stressed the need to combine efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in all their forms and deal with the phenomenon of foreign fighters, so that Syria become a source of stability.
On the regional level, Minister Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s categorical rejection of Israel’s blatant violations of Syrian sovereignty, renewing Egypt’s full condemnation of these violations and expressing complete rejection of Israeli forces’ attempts to exploit the current situation in Syria by occupying more land and undermining its security and stability.
He demanded that Israel commit to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, stressing Egypt’s firm position in support of ending the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan.
The talks also addressed rapid regional developments, including the course of US-Iranian negotiations and efforts to reduce escalation and contain tensions. Views were exchanged on developments in Lebanon, where Minister Abdelatty stressed the need to combine regional and international efforts to spare the region the risks of sliding into wider conflicts, in a way that guarantees the foundations of regional security and stability.
The Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, limited its comment on the meeting to saying that the two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, expand prospects for cooperation on issues and files of mutual interest, and discuss the latest developments on the regional and international arenas.
Syrian Officials Meet Businessmen in Egypt
The Ministry of Economy and Industry said on its Facebook page that it reviewed a package of facilitations to attract national investments during a meeting with Syrian businessmen in Egypt.
It added that, as part of strengthening communication with Syrian economic actors abroad, Foreign Minister and Expatriates Asaad al-Shaibani and Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar met a number of Syrian businessmen and investors residing in Egypt to discuss prospects for cooperation and ways to activate their role in the development process.
A package of facilitations and available opportunities was reviewed to remove investment obstacles facing the national capital. The ministry affirmed the pivotal role of Syrian businessmen in supporting the national economy, actively participating in reconstruction projects, and creating new job opportunities that serve the comprehensive economic cycle.
Syrian Egyptian Business Council Formed
During his visit with the Syrian delegation to Egypt, Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar issued a decision forming the Syrian Egyptian Business Council on the Syrian side, as part of strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
The decision stipulates the appointment of:
Ghassan Karim as chairman of the council.
Ahmad Ragheb Agha and Mohamed Basel Radwan Sammakia as vice presidents.
Wael Khair al-Nen as executive director.
Ammar Abu al-Laban as secretary.
Ayman al-Hafiri as the public relations officer in the council.
According to the decision, the council is committed to working in line with the provisions of the basic regulations for joint Syrian business councils with countries around the world, with the decision taking effect from its date.
Side Talk Tests Syrian Egyptian Rapprochement
The side conversation between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on the sidelines of the informal meeting of the European Union and regional partners in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, on April 24, raised questions about the significance of this political contact, and whether it points to a possible shift like the relationship between Damascus and Cairo, or remains within the limits of diplomatic courtesy imposed by multilateral meetings.
Although what took place was not a formal meeting in the traditional sense, the mere appearance of direct communication between the two sides brought the Syrian-Egyptian relations file back into discussion, especially amid the caution that has characterised Egypt’s approach toward the new Syrian administration since the recent political transformations in Syria.
Egyptian Caution Toward Syria’s Scene
Cairo is among the Arab capitals that have dealt with the new Syrian scene with calculated caution. It has maintained political discourse supportive of Syria’s unity and stability, while avoiding rapid engagement in broad political steps toward Damascus, as Egypt monitors the features of the new Syrian phase and its implications for regional balances.
This communication raises questions over whether relations between the two countries are moving toward gradual development through broader political and diplomatic channels, or whether Cairo will keep the relationship within a framework of watchful waiting, pending greater clarity on the shape of the new authority in Damascus and its regional policies.
On the margins of this political track, a secondary question emerges over whether the nature of relations between Damascus and Cairo could eventually affect Syrians residing in Egypt, especially amid legal and administrative changes this file has witnessed over the past period.
Between the symbolism of the scene and the limits of protocol, the side talk between al-Sharaa and el-Sisi in Cyprus remains a political indicator open to interpretation. But it is not enough on its own to judge the course of relations, which so far appear governed more by caution than by clear transformation.
Expert: Side Talk Is Not a Strategic Shift
International relations expert Dr Mohammed Al-Yamani believes that any communication between figures representing countries with regional weight, even if it appears passing or protocol-based, cannot be separated from broader political calculations. He considered that the side talk between the Syrian president and his Egyptian counterpart opens a wide door for interpretation, but without immediately considering it a strategic shift in relations.
Al-Yamani told Enab Baladi that an initial reading of this type of communication should begin with understanding “political symbolism,” explaining that unofficial communication, even without statements or communiques, carries dual messages. One is internal, reflecting political flexibility without clear commitments, and the other is external, indicating that channels of communication between the two sides are not fully closed, and that there is readiness to test the possibilities of rapprochement.
At the same time, however, he warned against overinterpreting such moments, noting that the nature of international summits allows space for protocol-based or spontaneous interaction between leaders, which means that what happened may remain within the bounds of political courtesy unless followed by clearer steps.
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