— Mr. Sayeed Sheble, thank you for the interview. Recently Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi made a historic visit to Armenia, as it was the first of its kind since the independence of Armenia in 1991. Why do you think there have been no such visits before, taking into account the historical friendship and high-level political relations between Egypt and Armenia?

— I believe that Egypt’s interest in Armenia existed during the former Egyptian presidents, due to the historical relations between the two countries as well as the strong influence of the Armenian community in Egypt. However, there is no doubt that Egypt’s interest in Armenia has increased today, due to its need to open channels of economic cooperation with more countries aimed at mitigating the effects of the crisis.  I think this explains the fact, that the president of Egypt is now on a visit to Armenia.

 — As we noticed in the official statements published after the visit, the negotiations were mainly related to the educational and economic spheres. What do you think the prospects are for Egypt-Armenia economic relations?

— Several cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries in 2019, opening the way for entrepreneurs’ investments in various fields.  I believe, that today there is a will of officials to activate these agreements on a practical basis. There is no doubt that the tourism is an important field of cooperation between Egypt and Armenia, and exchange of bilateral tourist visits is possible.

— Do you think cooperation between the two countries in the military and security fields is possible?

— All areas of bilateral cooperation are possible, but I think that the economic field is the basis for achieving tangible results for the benefit of the citizens of both countries.

— Referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh issue, let us remind you once again that back on December 12, Azerbaijani "eco-activists" blocked the Lachin Corridor, connecting Artsakh with Armenia. The illegal closure of the corridor caused a humanitarian crisis. What is Egypt's position regarding this issue, considering the fact that Baku, taking advantage of Armenia's absence from the  Organization of  Islamic Cooperation, tries to interfere with Armenia's relations with the Islamic and Arab world?

— I think that Egypt tries to remain neutral in this conflict. The evidence for that is the visit of President Sisi to both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

— Recently, we have noticed certain contacts between Egypt and Turkey aimed at the regulation of bilateral relations. As an example, we can note the meeting of the presidents of Egypt and Turkey in Qatar at the opening ceremony of FIFA 2022. Do you think reconciliation is realistic?

— Efforts are already under way to bring Cairo and Ankara closer, and many countries, led by Qatar, are mediating in this issue. Turkey has sought to harass members of the Brotherhood (“Muslim Brothers”) as a friendly message towards Egypt. However, all reconciliation plans still lack the necessary seriousness, and there are many missing links that impede progress. There are obstacles to reconciliation, including the situation in Libya and the role of Turkey there, to which Egypt applies with reservations, as well as Ankara maintaining relations with the Brotherhood despite everything.

—Recently, more Armenian tourists travel to Egypt. Can we say the same about Egyptian tourists? In your opinion, how interested they are in visiting Armenia?

— The Armenian community has a great role in Egypt. Nubar Pasha was the Prime Minister of Egypt for a long time in the 19^th century, and there are artists such as Fayrouz, Lebleba and Nelly, whose roots also go back to Armenia. It is clear that the field of tourism is the main area where cooperation can be achieved and benefited from.