Budapest, July 4 (CTK special correspondent) – Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka expressed support for the anti-terrorism struggle in meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi before the Visegrad Four’s (V4) talks with al-Sisi started on Tuesday.
The V4 is also comprised of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
Sobotka and Sisi spoke about trade, investments and tourism.
“We undoubtedly need Egypt being a stable state that can extricate itself from security and economic problems. Egypt is one of a few stabilised countries in North Africa and the Middle East. It is also why it is an important partner of both the Czech Republic and the whole European Union,” Sobotka told Czech journalists.
Sobotka said Sisi reassured him of a strong effort to ensure security in the major recreation destinations so that European visitors return there.
Sobotka pointed out that about 120,000 Czech tourists go to Egypt annually.
Sisi showed interest in investments from the EU, the V4 countries and the Czech Republic.
Sobotka said bigger investments by Czech firms require that Egypt protect them not only from possible terrorist attacks, but also from the point of view of respect for law, contracts enforceability and exports protection.
“We, Czechs, are definitely interested in exporting more to Egypt. Bilateral trade is now worth some 400 million (dollars), which means that we need more exports. We also discussed defence industry supplies. The Czech Republic helped arm the Egyptian police, it helps arm the military and there is scope for further Czech firms in the future,” Sobotka said.
He reiterated that it is in the interest of the Czech Republic and all Europe to maximally support Egypt’s stabilisation.
Sobotka asked Sisi to pay greater attention to the protection of minorities, particularly the Christian Copts who very often become target to hate attacks by religious radicals and terrorists.
Sisi reassured Sobotka of his government’s effort to protect the Copts and other minorities and to push through religious toleration principles.
Sobotka repeatedly invited Sisi to Prague where Czech Egyptologists would like to stage an exhibition of artefacts from Egypt in 2019. He asked Sisi for biggest possible support by the Egyptian government for the event.
“This could be a very nice and interesting joint project,” Sobotka said.
Czech Egyptologists have long been very active in Egypt and have scored a number of significant successes.
