CAIRO, Mar 8 (Aswat Masriya) - Lebanon's former prime minister Saad al-Hariri told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday that Egypt, Lebanon and all moderate Arabic countries face one enemy of Islam, an Egyptian presidency statement said.  

Hariri who heads the Future Movement, part of the country's largest anti-Syrian coalition, is currently visiting Cairo. 

According to a copy of the statement, obtained by Aswat Masriya, the former Lebanese prime minister said Lebanon fully supports Egypt in its war on "terror". Hariri added that "there is no room for neutrality in such circumstances."

Egyptian presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said the Egyptian president expressed appreciation for Hariri's support of Egypt in its war on "terror" and for supporting Egypt's right to defend its national security.

Youssef said the two sides' visions on "terrorism" matched, with both saying that there is a need to quickly formulate "an Arabic strategy to defeat terrorism" and to work on preventing the supplies of money and arms to all extremist groups in the region. 

Hariri's visit comes at a time of rising militancy both inside Egypt, especially in the Sinai Peninsula, and in the region. 

Islamic State fighters have gained control over large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria over the last summer. Both Egypt and Lebanon are part of an international coalition led by the United States to counter the militant group, although neither has carried out strikes as part of the coalition.  

On February 16, Egypt launched airstrikes against militant targets in Libya after a video surfaced showing the beheading of 21 men, 20 of whom are Egyptians, at the hands of militants believed to be part of a Libyan division of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Internally, Sinai-based militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State fighters, has become Egypt's most notorious militant group. It has claimed responsibility for more attacks across the nation than any other group.  

An Egyptian proposal for creating a joint Arab force to preserve Arab national security will top the agenda of the Arab Summit, due later this month, the Deputy Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Ben Helli said last week. 

Hariri, the younger son of assassinated Lebanese national symbol Rafik, served as prime minister for two years, from 2009 to 2011 when a unity government he was leading collapsed. 

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014, when Michel Suleiman stepped down.

Sisi told Hariri that Egypt supports a "unified" and "strong" Lebanon, adding that Egypt is interested in seeing Lebanon elect a president as soon as possible.