The meetings focused on security cooperation and economic ties between the two countries as well as efforts to fight the Islamic State. The vice president called it a “very productive” meeting and said he pressed Mr. Sisi to cut diplomatic ties with North Korea, urged him to respect religious diversity, and said the United States was committed to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Mr. Pence and Mr. Sisi met for two and a half hours at the presidential palace in Cairo. Mr. Pence went ahead with his four-day trip to the Middle East despite the political turmoil at home, citing national security and diplomatic reasons. Mr. Pence said he assured Mr. Sisi that the United States was “absolutely committed to preserving the status quo with regard to holy sites in Jerusalem, that we have come to no final resolution about boundaries or other issues that will be negotiated.”

Source: New York Times January 20, 2018 22:41 UTC