El Sisi could reportedly meet with Syria’s Assad amid apparent rapprochement: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Egypt and Syria are in “advanced talks to restore full diplomatic relations,” citing sources it says are familiar with the matter. A post-Ramadan meeting between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al Assad could be in the cards, the sources said, adding that the date and location of any meeting are yet to be confirmed.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad made his first official visit to Cairo in more than a decade yesterday. Talks between Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Mekdad saw the two agree to strengthen ties, a few weeks after Shoukry visited Damascus, according to separate statements from Egypt and Syria.

The visits come amid accelerating Arab efforts to reestablish diplomatic ties with Syria following its 13-year civil war, which left it a pariah state in the region. An anonymous Egyptian security source said as much yesterday, telling Reuters that the aim of yesterday’s visit was to agree on how the country will rejoin the Arab League with Egyptian and Saudi mediation.

The news got international attention:Al Arabiya | ABC News | Washington Post. .

AND- El Sisi congratulates MBZ on Abu Dhabi’s new crown prince: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to congratulate him on his “new leadership appointments” in the UAE, according to an Ittihadiyastatement. MBZ last week appointed his eldest son Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Abu Dhabi’s crown prince.

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