CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call on Sept. 17 from the president of the European Council, Charles Michel. The two officials discussed a number of issues of common interest, including recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region and in Libya. They agreed to boost bilateral channels of consultation and stressed the need to reach a comprehensive political settlement of the Libyan issue in a bid to restore regional stability.

The phone call came after the head of Libya’s Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, announced Sept. 16 his plan to resign from his post, saying, “We [the government] did not work under normal conditions. We were the target of internal and foreign conspiracies.”

For his part, Khaled Okasha, a member of the Egyptian National Council for Combating Terrorism, said in a phone intervention on “Al-Masry Afandi” show broadcast on Al-Kahera Wal-Nas TV on Sept. 17 that by resigning, Sarraj is backing the efforts to reach a cease-fire and form a new transitional government. Okasha also expects the militias to withdraw following the announcement, adding that all Libyan cities will now feel security and stability.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Sept. 15 hosted Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who was on an official visit to Athens upon the invitation of his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias. Discussions covered ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination between the two countries in various fields, as well as regional and international issues of common interest.