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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu: For the Turkish government, rapprochement could also mean a step towards better relations with other Arab countries
Photo: FEHIM DEMIR / EPA
Turkey has increasingly isolated itself in terms of foreign policy in recent years.
However, there is now movement in relations with Egypt.
After a long period of diplomatic radio silence, the two countries are getting closer again.
A delegation from Ankara is now on a two-day visit to Cairo, announced the foreign ministries of both countries.
At the meeting led by deputy foreign ministers, "necessary steps" for a possible normalization of relations between the two countries are to be discussed, the Turkish side said.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that it was about normalization at the "bilateral and regional" level.
The relationship between the two countries had been strained for years.
The political dispute escalated in 2013 after the Turkish government repeatedly described the removal of the then Islamist Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi by the army as an illegitimate »military coup«.
Ambassadors from both countries were withdrawn in 2013.
Cairo and Ankara are on different sides in the Libya conflict
Egypt accuses Turkey, among other things, of continuing to support Islamist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood in the region.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi cracks down on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in the country with great severity and many are in prison.
In addition, both countries support different parties in the conflict in Egypt's neighboring country Libya.
However, for the last few months there have been signs of rapprochement.
Last year there were reports of an exchange at the secret service level.
In March Turkey officially announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Egypt.
For the Turkish government, rapprochement could also mean a step towards better relations with other Arab countries.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had already said in March that there are “positive signals” from the United Arab Emirates.
The Turks could also hope for relaxation with a view to Saudi Arabia.
asc / dpa
