Egypt and Turkey conclude ‘frank’ dialogue
Egypt and Turkey wrapped up two days of “frank and deep” talks in Cairo on Thursday.
The discussions were part of efforts to normalise relations after eight years of tension that pushed the countries close to hostilities last summer.
The two sides will assess the outcome of the talks before they decide what to do next, they said.
The talks are regarded as a dramatic change in relations that began to deteriorate in 2013 when Egypt’s military removed Turkish-backed President Mohammed Morsi amid a wave of protests against his divisive one-year rule.
Egypt and Turkey have since been at odds over several bilateral and regional issues, including the conflicts in Libya and Syria.
Ankara also attempted to muscle in on plans led by rivals Greece and Cyprus to create a major energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean after the discovery of natural gas reserves.
“Discussions were frank and deep. They dealt with bilateral issues in addition to several regional matters, including the situation in Libya, Syria and Iraq, as well as the necessity of achieving peace and security in the East Mediterranean,” Egypt and Turkey said in a joint statment.
A rapprochement between Egypt and Nato member Turkey has the potential to change the political landscape of the Middle East a decade after a series of uprisings in the region.
The list of issues over which the two nations differ is long and would require compromises from both sides, but recent signs are somewhat encouraging.
Last summer, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said he was prepared to send troops to Libya, where Turkey was backing the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, if militias took the town of Sirte from the Libyan National Army and moved towards Egypt’s borders in the east.
But things have changed a great deal since in energy-rich Libya, where a ceasefire and a new unity government are in place.
Egypt is demanding the withdrawal of Turkish forces in Libya, as well as foreign fighters sent to the country by Ankara.
In a gesture of goodwill, Turkey ordered three opposition television networks operating from the country to tone down criticism of the Egyptian government.
Ankara has yet to decide whether to extradite members of the Muslim Brotherhood to face terrorism-related charges in Egypt.