US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to the media during a press conference in Cairo, Egypt September 13, 2014. US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Saturday for a visit in a bid to build up a coalition to counter and defeat the Islamic State (IS) militants.Photo:Xinhua
Egypt and the Arab League backed the coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group, US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters on Saturday after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo.
"Egypt is on the frontline against terrorism," Kerry said at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shokry.
The top US diplomat said he discussed with Sisi the steps that Egypt can take as part of the fight against the IS in Iraq, but without mentioning more information on such steps.
He added that they also talked about how to coordinate tasks and responsibilities within the coalition and the necessity to include different partners in that coalition and to support an inclusive government in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Kerry showed optimism that Egypt would succeed in its political transition and achieve economic growth, noting that Sisi expressed his commitment to holding parliamentary elections, making economic reforms and respecting human rights.
Before his arrival, Kerry visited Saudi Arabia and managed to secure the support of 10 Arab nations for a global drive to clamp down on the IS. But no Arab country has announced it would send troops to Iraq.