CAIRO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi stressed to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday Egypt's support to the Palestinian cause, Sisi's spokesman Bassam Rady said.
In a statement, Rady said that Pence phoned Sisi to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest.
Rady added that President Sisi reiterated Egypt's firm stance towards the Palestinian issue and its backing for the Palestinian people's rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.
Sisi also affirmed the strategic relations binding Egypt and the United States, considering this as one of the pillars of stability in the Middle East region, Rady added.
The Egyptian president also said he is looking forward to further strengthening such relations in a way that could achieve mutual interest especially regarding the restoration of security in the region.
For his part, Pence asserted his country's keenness to enhance and promote its strategic cooperation with Egypt in view of its vital role in maintaining the security and stability of the Middle East region, Rady said.
He revealed that Pence has appreciated the role played by Egypt in calming down the tense situation in Gaza Strip in addition to its efforts to achieve the national Palestinian reconciliation.
On May 14, the United States moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem six months after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized the city as the capital of Israel.
Sisi said such a move will have negative consequences on the Palestinian cause.
Cairo receives annual military aid of 1.3 billion U.S. dollars from Washington since it signed the 1979 U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel, the U.S. number-one regional ally and the top recipient of U.S. aid.
