FILE Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry smiles during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Cairo, Egypt May 29, 2017. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

CAIRO – 11 December 2017: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry talked in an interview with Russia Today on Sunday about the crisis in Yemen, anti-terror efforts, as well as the Palestinian issue and the status of Jerusalem in light of the inability to reach a political settlement.



Shoukry stressed that sending Egyptian Military Forces to Yemen is not an option for the Egyptian Administration.



"The Arab-Qatari crisis remains the same, particularly as the Qatari side has not taken any action to respond to the Arab demands," stated Shoukry when asked about the Qatari crisis, adding that there is an Arab consensus to confront Iran's interference in the region.



When asked whether the peace process would end after U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli's capital, Shoukry explained that the peace process will not end unless Palestine is able to restore its legitimate rights and establish itself as a state.



Commenting on the situation of Ethiop’s Renaissance Dam, Shoukry said "Despite our understanding of Ethiopia's desire for development, there is a sense of trying to impose on an existing situation from the Ethiopian side without paying attention to the legal restrictions.”



“Egypt is ready to accept the technical studies which were entrusted to a global company with an unquestionable reputation, but so far we have not yet given the company the necessary declarations to start its work,” Shoukry added.



"Over the past seven months, the three countries [Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan] have not agreed on the company's approach for conducting the studies, while the dam is being built, and will reach advanced stages before the completion of the study," Shoukry explained.



Talking about the Egyptian relations with Russia, he said, “We have important relations with Russia in terms of exports and imports as well as major national projects.”



When asked whether flights between Moscow and Cairo will resume soon, Shoukry remarked that there is no specific date and there are ongoing technical communications with the Russian Aviation Ministry, adding that Egypt has benefitted from Russia's experiences which helped raise Egyptian capabilities to promote security measures in Egyptian airports.



Regarding the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant deal with Russia, he noted that there are huge developments in many fields related to the national project regarding its design and funding.



Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Cairo on Monday, the Russian Kremlin stated on Thursday.



A Russian delegation consisting of 35 officials arrived in Cairo on Thursday December 7 to prepare for Putin's visit to the capital, according to security forces at Cairo International Airport.



"On Monday December 4, President Sisi received a telephone call from Putin during which the presidents discussed Egypt’s first under-construction nuclear power plant (NPP) in Dabaa," Egyptian presidential spokesperson Ambassador Bassam Rady, remarked in a statement.



"Both leaders will attend the inauguration of the NPP, located at the Mediterranean city of Dabaa in Marsa Matrouh, by the end of this year," Egypt’s Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker previously told Egypt Today.