Egypt FM rejects unilateral regional plans, says future of Middle East must be based on consensus

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday that developments in the Middle East since 7th October 2023, have demonstrated that attempts to impose regional hegemony or redraw the region’s political map through unilateral action will not succeed.

According to remarks reported by Al-Shorouk, Abdelatty said that any future regional order must be based on consensus among the countries of the region, including its major regional powers.

He argued that no state, regardless of its military or political strength, can successfully impose its will on other countries through force.

Asked about proposals or rhetoric concerning a “Greater Israel” and broader plans to reshape the Middle East, Abdelatty said that any project founded on the unilateral imposition of one country’s vision is unlikely to succeed.

He maintained that durable regional arrangements must reflect the collective will of the region’s states rather than the preferences of any single actor.

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Addressing reports of a so-called regional quartet involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan, Abdelatty said the grouping should be viewed as a platform for consultation and coordination, not as a formal military or political alliance.

According to the minister, the mechanism is intended to strengthen cooperation among the four countries and coordinate positions on major regional issues, including the implications of a possible Iran-Israel conflict, ongoing diplomatic negotiations, and post-conflict regional arrangements.

He added that Egypt is also coordinating closely with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states to develop a common Arab and regional vision for the future of the Middle East.

Abdelatty said participation in these consultations remains open to other regional countries, provided they support the agreed principles and objectives.

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