The meeting of Al-Zubaidi and Farouq .. Has Egypt realized the dangers of its absence from the scene of Yemen?
English - Sunday 22 November 2020 الساعة 02:20 pm
Aden, NewsYemen, Exclusive:
The meeting that brought together the head of the Southern Transitional Council, Major General Aidaroos Al-Zubaidi, with the Egyptian ambassador to Yemen, Ahmed Farouq, in Riyadh, attracted the interest of a number of politicians and observers, especially with the indications he conveyed to a more effective Egyptian presence in the Yemeni scene.
Last Friday; The non-resident ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Yemen, Ahmed Farouq, met with the President of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidaroos Al-Zubaidi, and the meeting covered developments in the Yemeni crisis and efforts to implement the Riyadh Agreement.
According to a brief statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry via "Facebook", during the meeting, ways to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis were reviewed, in a way that would restore Yemen's security and stability.
The Egyptian ambassador affirmed his country's firm stance in support of Yemen and the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement, and its welcome to cooperate with the new Yemeni government in various fields once it is formed.
Whereas the head of the Southern Transitional Council indicated that Egypt plays a fundamental role in protecting the security and stability of the region and Arab national security, and he also referred to the common goals and interests, represented in protecting Bab al-Mandab, the Gulf of Aden and shipping lines, and combating the forces of terrorism and extremism, intrusive ideas and blatant interventions that are exposed its area.
Meanwhile, Yemeni politicians mentioned, in conversations with "NewsYemen", the importance of Egypt playing a pivotal role in the Yemeni file, given the mutual importance of the two countries on more than one level, and due to common interests.
While observers considered that the meeting is closely related to the anticipated international and regional changes in the Yemeni file, which may produce a new reality in the Yemeni scene and a shift in internal and regional alignments, especially with the increase in Turkish activity in Yemen, through the Muslim Brotherhood, and close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
In this context, Yemeni journalist Khaled Salman commented on the meeting between the head of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidaroos Al-Zubaidi, with the Egyptian Ambassador Ahmed Farouq in Cairo, saying that it is an expression of Egyptian concerns about the increase of Turkish activity in southern Yemen, in light of Cairo's feeling that “Aden is its next sphere of influence, and the issue of national security, while Ankara sees the south as a red line for Egyptian expansion towards securing Bab al-Mandab.
Salman added, in a statement to Al-Arab newspaper: “The next conflict is summarized in the attempts to tighten the siege on Egypt, starting with Libya, passing through Ethiopia and ending in Aden, and countering work to break the Turkish siege scheme and escape its devastating dangers.”
Whereas, the political writer Dr. Abdulsalam Amer described Al-Zubaidi's meeting with the Egyptian ambassador as the most important meeting held by the Transitional Presidency, because Cairo has a pioneering and effective role in combating Brotherhood terrorism and other things and enhancing Arab national security.
In a tweet on Twitter, Abdulsalam expressed his hope that the meeting would mark the beginning of a partnership in the face of terrorist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which is affiliated with Qatar and Turkey, as well as the Houthi group, the Iranian arm in Yemen, in order to maintain the security and safety of waterways.
Interaction with the meeting did not stop at the Yemeni politicians, as the Saudi analyst Khaled Al-Zaatar considered that the meeting represented a step with many connotations, the most important of which is Egypt’s entry on the line of faith in the southern cause.
Al-Zaatar said on his account on "Twitter", that the meeting of the Southern Transitional Command with the Egyptian side confirms the extent of the great confidence that the Council has enjoyed regionally.
Al-Zaatar explained that the existence of communication channels between Egypt and the Council is a political victory for the southern issue, after the "transitional" administration succeeded in drawing Egyptian attention and interest towards the south, which had established itself as an actor in the Arab project in the face of terrorist organizations and chaos projects.
