EGYPT AND TURKEY LOOK AT WAYS TO NORMALISE RELATIONS
▶ Cairo says ‘exploratory’ talks must lead to meaningful action and not just words from Ankara
Egypt said two days of “exploratory discussions” with Turkey on normalising relations began in Cairo yesterday.
On Tuesday, a brief, cautiously phrased statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the talks would be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdy Sanad and Sedat Onal, his Turkish counterpart.
“The exploratory discussions will focus on the necessary steps that could lead to the normalisation of relations on both the bilateral level and in a regional context,” the ministry said.
The talks are a twist in relations that have been fraught with tension since the 2013 removal by the Egyptian military of Turkish-backed president Mohammed Morsi of the nowbanned Muslim Brotherhood, whose year in office was divisive.
The talks follow mid-level intelligence and diplomatic contacts and overtures by Turkey.
Senior officials in Ankara spoke of the cultural and historic ties that bind the nations at opposite ends of the Mediterranean Sea.
Turkey has also highlighted the strength they could attain if they resolved their differences, improved relations and concluded a maritime demarcation deal.
Cairo said that it is looking for actions, not words, from Ankara if their relationship were to improve.
Egypt has suggested that the road to normal relations would be long and arduous, given the complexity of issues involved.
Egyptian officials said the discussions were likely to focus on what Turkey must do to be part of plans to turn the East Mediterranean into a major energy resource, after the discovery of huge natural gas reserves there.
The two must also find common ground on Libya, allowing it to end its decade-old civil war and reunite while removing Turkish troops and allied mercenaries stationed there.
There is also the question of whether Turkey was prepared to extradite senior Muslim Brotherhood officials who are wanted in Egypt on terrorism charges.
Turkey is the preferred home in exile for leaders and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was declared a terrorist organisation by Egypt and other countries, including the UAE.
Egypt accused Turkey of supporting extremist groups across the region, fuelling instability, a charge Turkey denies.
Turkey is a harsh critic of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s government and is home to television networks that broadcast nightly criticism of his policies.
The two countries have also been at odds over what Cairo regards as Ankara’s attempts to intrude on the natural gas project in the East Mediterranean, in which Turkey’s rivals Greece and Cyprus are partners with Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Palestine.
Last summer, Mr El Sisi said he was prepared to send troops to Libya, where Turkey was backing the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, if its allied militias took the town of Sirte from the Libyan National Army and moved towards Egypt’s borders.
But things have changed since then in Libya, with a ceasefire and new unity government in place.
Meanwhile, Egypt is to reopen its embassy in Tripoli and is looking for reconstruction contracts in Libya.