Page 9 - Aruba Today

WORLD NEWS 9
Monday 11 April 2016

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman addresses Egyptian parliament

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, right, sits with Saudi Cairo and Riyadh remain of the internationally rec- ba — are Saudi but have
Arabia’s King Salman in the Abdeen Palace, Cairo. Egypt divided over Syria, where ognized government and been in Egypt’s custody for
welcomed Saudi Arabia’s monarch on a landmark visit to the Saudi Arabia is one of the against Iranian-backed protection since 1950.
Arab world’s most populous country, with Cairo seeking to boost leading backers of insur- Shiite rebels. The two coun- Any agreement on the
ties and garner deals to prop up the nation’s shaky economy. gents fighting to overthrow tries signed 16 agreements two islands must be rati-
President Bashar Assad. and memoranda during fied by the Egyptian parlia-
(Egyptian Presidency via AP) Egypt fears Assad’s remov- Salman’s visit, including ment, a 596-seat chamber
al could leave a vacuum one that paves the way for packed with el-Sissi sup-
that would be filled by Is- the transfer of sovereignty porters. However, news of
lamists. Egypt has not sent over two islands from Egypt the agreement generated
ground troops to Yemen, to Saudi Arabia. The Egyp- a storm on social media,
where Saudi Arabia and tian government says the with activists arguing that
the United Arab Emirates two uninhabited islands handing over the two is-
are spearheading a mili- — Tiran and Sanafir at the lands was tantamount to a
tary campaign in support mouth of the Gulf of Aqa- sell-off to the kingdom.q

HAMZA HENDAWI left the chamber, holding
Associated Press hands with the speaker, Ali
CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Ara- Abdel-Al.
bia’s king addressed the That a Saudi king was invit-
Egyptian parliament on ed to address the Egyptian
Sunday, the fourth day of parliament is evidence of
a visit that saw the oil-rich how close relations are be-
kingdom pledge billions of tween the two nations, de-
dollars in investment and spite differences over poli-
aid to Egypt but sparked cies on Syria and relations
an outcry over Cairo’s in- with Turkey and Qatar, two
tention to surrender sover- Saudi allies accused by
eignty over two Red Sea Cairo of supporting militant
islands to the Saudis. Islamic groups.
In a six-minute address, Parts of Cairo were locked
King Salman said Egypt and down during the monarch’s
Saudi Arabia have agreed visit, with thousands of se-
to build a bridge linking the curity forces deployed as
two nations across the Red Salman and his host, Presi-
Sea and to work together dent Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi,
to create a pan-Arab de- travelled across the city of
fense force, an Egyptian some 18 million people.
idea first floated last year Saudi Arabia has been a
that was later thought to traditional source of eco-
have been overtaken by nomic and political support
Riyadh’s creation of a pan- to Egypt, but the kingdom
Islamic coalition. significantly stepped up its
“There is a need to unify vi- backing after the military’s
sions and actions to coun- 2013 ouster of Islamist Presi-
ter terrorism and find a dent Mohammed Morsi.
comprehensive method to However, relations shifted
deal with it,” Salman said in when Salman ascended
a speech repeatedly inter- the throne in January 2015
rupted by applause. and realigned the king-
Some lawmakers waved dom’s foreign policy, thaw-
the kingdom’s green flag, ing tense ties with Qatar
while others chanted “all of and Turkey and lobbying
Egypt greets you” or “wel- the Egyptians to recon-
come!” After the speech, cile with them. Riyadh also
two lawmakers recited po- wants Egypt on its side as
ems in praise of the mon- it seeks to counter Iran in
arch. The king waved to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and
the lawmakers before he Yemen.