CAIRO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met with visiting Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral military ties, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency.
The two sides agreed on further developing the security cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.
During the meeting, they also reviewed the recent regional developments, especially in Libya and Sudan, as well as efforts to push for political solutions to regional crises, it added.
Crosetto hailed Egypt's pivotal role in maintaining stability in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, urging the country to intensify efforts to help curb illegal immigration into Europe.
The Italian defense minister also called for more efforts to advance the mechanism for tackling cross-border immigration issues. ■