Egypt's Sisi and CIA director Burns discuss Mideast tensions

Egypt's Sisi and CIA director Burns discuss Mideast tensions
The talks in Cairo covered "a number of regional issues of common interest especially tensions in the Middle East as well as Afghanistan, the Renaissance Dam (in Ethiopia) and the crisis in Libya", a statement said.
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Burns visited Israel and the West Bank last week [Getty]

US Central Intelligence Agency chief William Burns met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday for talks on the situation in the Palestinian territories, Libya and Afghanistan, the president's office said.

The talks in Cairo covered "a number of regional issues of common interest especially tensions in the Middle East as well as Afghanistan, the Renaissance Dam (in Ethiopia) and the crisis in Libya", Egypt's western neighbour, it said in a statement, without giving details.

Egypt, the second largest recipient of US aid in the world after Israel and a key regional ally, brokered a Gaza ceasefire in May after 11 days of strikes between the Tel Aviv and the Palestinians.

On Ethiopia, Cairo has garnered critical support from Washington over its water rights being adversely affected by Addis Ababa's mammoth dam project.

Burns, an Oxford-educated scholar who authored a book on Egypt-US relations, visited Israel and the West Bank last week.

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