Washington: Egyptian Foreign Minister, Badr Abdel Aati discussed today in Washington with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them, in addition to a host of regional and international issues of common concern, primarily the situation in the Gaza Strip.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Abdel Aati stressed the importance of accelerating the start of the early recovery process, removing the rubble, and reconstruction with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, noting Gazans' adherence to their land and their rejection of displacement, which is fully supported by Arab and Islamic worlds as well as the international community. He further stressed the constants of the Egyptian, Arab and Islamic position on the Palestinian cause and the importance of achieving the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.

The statement added that Egypt looks forward to coordinating with the US administration towards achieving the desired just peace in the Middle East considering the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, most notably their right to establish their independent state on their entire national territory.

The two parties also discussed developments in Syria, Libya, Sudan, the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.