Meeting between Shoukry and Oglu… a leap towards reconciliation towards “the summit”
The 45-day event charted three meetings between the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Turkey, marking a new stage in the course of rapprochement between the two countries and turning the page on political differences.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Ankara yesterday and met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. They held a joint press conference to confirm that meetings between the two countries are currently intensifying.
The conference also discussed ways to develop bilateral relations and to continue to lay the groundwork for holding a summit at the level of presidents in the coming period.
Turkish experts say Egypt and Turkey have worked together to reach an agreement that would bring benefits to regional countries and yield numerous economic and political gains.
Experts believe that the meeting between the two heads of state will mark the end of contentious issues, foremost among them the Libyan and Syrian file, as well as the issue of border demarcation in the eastern Mediterranean.
Resolve outstanding issues
Turkish academic and political analyst Abdulmutallab Arbaa said the Egyptian foreign minister’s visit ushered relations between Cairo and Ankara into a new phase of consensus.
The Turkish academic confirmed that the two countries are seeking to bring viewpoints closer and resolve controversial issues including the Mediterranean Sea, regional waters, Libya, and Syria.
Among the outstanding issues is Libya, especially after the demarcation of the border with Tripoli and Egypt’s objection, he said, but with rapprochement at the level of foreign ministers there will be “some sort of understanding”, according to the Turkish academic.
He said Egypt’s role in Libya is realistic due to its presence on its borders, as well as the issue of Egyptian labor and projects, stressing that an Egyptian-Turkish understanding of the Libyan issue would be beneficial for both sides.
He explained that the maritime border demarcation issue is very important, adding, “In case the two countries reach an understanding, it will guarantee the expansion of their gains within the Mediterranean Sea, gas extraction, and economic projects.” He expected the two countries to sign agreements in the near future on this issue.
Regional convergence
Regarding political co-operation between the two countries, Arba said the critical period ended with the closure of the Brotherhood’s channels and their expulsion from the country. He said there is a wide understanding on a number of economic and political issues, especially following the recent regional rapprochement with the UAE and Saudi Arabia and the recent rapprochement between the two.
He stressed that the new world order had prompted the States of the region to reconsider their political relationship with each other and the importance of uniting their efforts, agreeing among themselves and achieving understanding; Especially the two most important pivotal countries in the region; Egypt and Turkey.
He added that the final points of contention await the meeting of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, believing that it will be in the near future, whether before or immediately after the elections in Ankara, which represents a good thing for the region and brotherly countries.
“The outputs of the visit are very important, especially as it has moved beyond the talk of rapprochement to the announcement of an upcoming meeting between the two heads of state,” said Turkish writer and political researcher Taha Oudaoglu.
Strong indicators
The Turkish writer and political researcher continued: “Despite the existence of strong indicators and data, especially with regard to the results of the disputed files, they need to meet again, including the case of the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya.”
I believe that the meetings that are taking place are gradually taking us towards the meeting of the Presidents of the two countries, which is currently being arranged, but it will be preceded by the adoption of ambassadors in the coming days.
Regarding the Brotherhood, the Turkish analyst said that the two countries have worked to overcome this after the Turkish measures against the group’s members and the closure of its channels. He expects that there will be another step in the near future in the thorny issues of the region.
