Donald Trump promises 'loyal friendship' with Egypt's president

Egypt's president has been told the US would be a "loyal friend" to Egypt if Donald Trump is elected president, according to statements released after the pair met in New York on Monday.

Abdel Fatah al-Sisi flew in to the US for the UN General Assembly this week, meeting the Republican candidate at La Guardia airport.

Sisi also met Hillary Clinton for an hour, with aides later saying they had discussed issues ranging from counter-terrorism to human rights.

But it was Trump's meeting with Sisi - the first time the Republican presidential candidate has met a leader from the Muslim world - that gained the most attention.

Trump told Sisi - who has been much-criticised by rights groups for his intolerance of dissent - that "under a Trump administration, the United States of America will be a loyal friend, not simply an ally, that Egypt can count on".

Trump has called for "extreme vetting" of refugees entering the United States along with a ban on people from "terrorist nations".

But he also told Sisi about "his high regard for peace-loving Muslims," according to a statement released by his campaign.

In an interview with Fox television earlier on Monday, Trump alluded to the impending visit, saying that meetings with other foreign leaders were also on his agenda.

"I don't want to comment specifically on who but a couple of people are coming over. I've already met with a couple," he said.