CAIRO — As Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Nov. 21, he stressed the importance of preserving Lebanon's unity and the need to disassociate the country from the conflicts raging in the Middle East. Egypt and Lebanon are bound by a strong relationship that dates back to the 1940s.

A presidential statement issued on Nov. 21 stated that Sisi met with Hariri to discuss the latest developments in Beirut in the wake of Hariri’s abrupt resignation. During his meeting with Hariri, Sisi emphasized the need for the Lebanese parties to uphold the supreme national interest of the Lebanese people and reject any foreign interference in their internal affairs.

The meeting between Sisi and Hariri came hours before the Lebanese prime minister returned to Beirut on Nov. 22 and announced that he postponed his widely controversial resignation, which he had declared from Riyadh on Nov. 4.

Following his meeting with Hariri, Sisi received a phone call from Lebanese President Michel Aoun, during which the two counterparts discussed the political situation in Lebanon.