Egypt to enhance relations with Syria, urges political solution

Egypt's newly installed Foreign Minister Mohamed Nabil Fahmy on Saturday expressed intentions to improve relations with Syria, a reverse of Egypt's previous position when Mohamed Morsi cut diplomatic ties with Syria. Last month, Egypt's then President Morsi cut diplomatic ties with Syria and warned Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah against continuous involvement in the conflict in Syria. On Saturday, Fahmy said in a statement that the situation in Egypt is difficult, and that Egypt will work to enhance its relations with neighboring countries as well as other players. "Our relations will be with countries and peoples, not with leaders or parties," Fahmy stressed, noting that Egypt has no intention of waging a Jihad, or holy war, in Syria. The Egyptian minister said that "political solution" is the only way to get out of the Syrian crisis, adding that Egypt supports the Syrian people's right for democracy and is keen to communicate with all the Syrian parties. "Only the political solution could preserve Syria's sovereignty, " said Fahmy.