Egypt's purchase was foiled when U.S. intelligence officials spotted a rusty freighter flying Cambodian colors chugging toward the Suez Canal.
A rocket-propelled grenade, the weapon that Egypt sought to purchase from North Korea.
>> Between North Korea, Syria and Hamas, it's hard to assess what will ignite next Mideast crisis | Analysis.
Its statement did not refer specifically to the relationship between Egypt and North Korea, but said that issues in dispute had been raised with Cairo.
North Korean pilots trained Egyptian fighter pilots before the Yom Kippur War, and Egypt was later accused of supplying Scud missiles to Pyongyang.
"The recent cut in the U.S. military aid to Egypt was a clear message to Cairo: You choose us or North Korea, you cannot have military relations with both of us," he said.
"Cairo got the message and it cut ties with North Korea.". »