CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi stressed the importance of working on reaching a political solution to various regional crises, state-run MENA news agency reported on Monday.
Sisi's remark came during his meeting with visiting U.S. Central Command Commander General Joseph Votelin.
The meeting focused on the latest developments of the regional crises where Sisi stressed the need to resolve them politically.
Sisi also affirmed that the state institutions in the countries witnessing crises should be maintained and their sovereignty should be preserved in order to secure a better future for the peoples of these countries.
About Egyptian-U.S. cooperation, Sisi welcomed hosting the 10-day Egyptian-U.S. joint military exercise, known as "The Bright Star," which kicked off on Sunday at a military base in Egypt.
The 10-day joint maneuver activities will continue until Sept. 20, including joint land, air and naval operations, Egyptian Military Spokesman Tamer al-Refaay said in the statement.
Sisi also hailed the bilateral military cooperation amid the current regional circumstances that require uniting efforts to overcome challenges threatening global and regional security and stability.
During the meeting, Sisi reviewed efforts exerted by Egypt in fighting terrorism at all levels via adopting a comprehensive strategy that tackles cultural, social, economic, military and security aspects.
For his part, Votel voiced his country's keenness on promoting bilateral ties and cooperation, highlighting the importance of the Bright Star exercise to overcome joint challenges topped by terrorism.
He further lauded the pivotal role of Egypt in the region, affirming U.S. commitment to enhance bilateral strategic relations.
Egypt receives an annual of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in military and economic aid since it signed the 1979 U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel.
