CENTAF commander meets with key officials in Egypt

Published Jan. 30, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Steve Grever
U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The U.S. Central Command Air Forces commander visited Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 29 to meet with Egyptian military leaders and other key U.S. government officials as part of USCENTCOM's theater security cooperation events and component commander's bilateral engagements with U.S. allies.

Lieutenant General Gary North and his staff met with Maj. Gen. Michael Collings, Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation, and Mr. Stuart Jones, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, and the U.S. country team in Cairo, to discuss key issues from the country team perspective.

The general and his staff met with Air Marshal Magdi Sharawi, Egyptian Air Forces Commander-in-Chief, and Lt. Gen. Samy Enan, the Egyptian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, at the Ministry of Defense in Cairo. Lt. Gen. Enan is the equivalent of the Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff in the U.S. military.

General North discussed a wide range of issues with both AM Sharawi and Lt. Gen. Enan, which included talks concerning the success of exercise BRIGHT STAR 07 that both countries participated in November 2007, dialogue about future areas of cooperation and exercise opportunities, and recent developments in coalition operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa.

Key topics of discussion focused on security in the region and future opportunities where both countries could strengthen their strategic partnership.

The CENTAF commander said the special relationship the United States has with Egypt was absolutely imperative for the region.

"The cooperation, friendship, and warm relations we enjoy with our Egyptian partners are critical to our ongoing efforts to bring peace, security, and stability to the region," said General North.

General Enan also echoed General North's statement and said he appreciated the frequent "face to face" visits with U.S. military leaders, which he deemed very positive for the strategic relations between the U.S. and Egypt.

General North last visited Egypt in August 2007 where he was the key note speaker at the Egyptian celebration for their 25th anniversary of the Peace Vector F-16 program.

General North's visit follows recent high level visits to Egyptian senior leadership by President George W. Bush on Jan. 16, 2008 and Admiral William Fallon, CENTCOM commander, on Nov. 18, 2007.