As of: February 14, 2024, 11:09 a.m
By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi
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The long-standing diplomatic ice age between Turkey and Egypt is coming to an end.
Erdogan travels to Cairo for a meeting with Sisi.
First and foremost it is about the Israel-Gaza war.
Cairo - Amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is traveling to Egypt on Wednesday (February 14) to meet his counterpart Abdulfattah al-Sisi and discuss the conflict with him.
The special thing about the meeting: Erdogan is traveling to Egypt for the first time in 12 years.
The serious diplomatic crisis between the two countries since Sisi came to power in Egypt has been defused in recent years.
Now relations are back at the highest level.
Erdogan travels to Egypt: He wants to talk to Sisi about Gaza
According to Turkish media, Erdogan wants to talk to Sisi about a ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the strip.
Turkey had previously flown aid for Gaza to Egypt with several military aircraft.
Turkish sources told the Arabic broadcaster
As-Sharq
that they may also be planning a visit to the border with the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip and are in contact with Egyptian colleagues.
In view of the planned Israeli offensive on the city, Erdogan wants to announce his support for Palestinians, but it is still unclear whether a visit will take place.
There were no official statements about this
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (r.) and Egypt's head of state Abdulfattah al-Sisi during the World Cup in Qatar.
The Qatari Emir Al-Thani (center) arranged a quick meeting between Erdogan and Sisi.
(Archive image) © Twitter/@anadoluajansi
According to state broadcaster
TRT Haber,
Sisi will welcome his Turkish counterpart in front of his palace in Cairo.
In the evening, in addition to a joint press conference after their meeting, there will also be a dinner in honor of Erdogan.
The Turkish president will be accompanied on his trip by, among others, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Güler and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek.
After all, in addition to the situation in Gaza, it is also supposed to be about bilateral relations.
Erdogan's turnaround in foreign policy: sudden rapprochement with Egypt
In Turkey, Erdogan has been criticized for his visit, particularly by the opposition.
For years, Erdogan said that Sisi was a putschist and that he had “nothing to talk to him about.”
The Egyptian president deposed elected President Mohammed Morsi in a coup in 2013.
At that time, Sisi was still chief of general staff.
Erdogan maintained close ties with Morsi, who died in 2019, and was supported by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The organization is sometimes classified as radical Islamist.
Hamas also emerged as a branch of the organization.
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In Turkey, Erdogan is now being accused of once again suddenly changing his attitude and hitting Sisi, whom he had verbally attacked for years.
But even before that there was criticism of Erdogan.
The Turkish president was accused of having too close contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood and of neglecting Turkey's interests.
Typical gesture: the Rabia sign of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
© AFP
Erdogan also addressed the protests against Sisi in 2013, which resulted in hundreds of deaths, during domestic political campaigns.
For example, he adopted the “Rabia” symbol coined by Morsi supporters.
The demonstrators against Sisi gathered in Rabia Square in Cairo, but the protests were violently dispersed.
“Rabia” means “Fourth” in Arabic, which is why the symbol depicts a hand showing four fingers.
Erdogan's discussion of the demonstrations in Egypt was well received by voters in his Islamic conservative AK Party.
Now, however, Turkey wants to get closer to Egypt again - also because of interests in the eastern Mediterranean and rivalry with Greece.
(bb)