05:38Egypt: Ankara and Cairo to maximise diplomatic ties 'as soon as possible' - Turkish FM Cavusoglu
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Cairo on Saturday, after a decade of tension in relations between the two countries. During the press conference after the meeting, Cavusoglu stated that Turkey and Egypt will raise diplomatic ties to the ambassador level "as soon as possible".
"My brother Sameh Shoukry told us what we can do about the reassignment of ambassadors. We also had the opportunity to evaluate among ourselves which steps we would take and when. I am sure that we will have the opportunity to maximise our diplomatic relations as soon as possible," he said at the joint press conference alongside Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry, following talks on bilateral relations, regional and international issues.
Turkey's Foreign Minister added that he had "frank" talks with Shoukry, underlining that mechanisms between Ankara and Cairo will be revived.
Cavusoglu also announed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi might meet after Turkey's upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, Shoukry said the development of Turkish-Egyptian relations is in the interest of both countries.
We will continue within the framework of employing mechanisms and restoring their vitality and activity, whether it is businessmen's councils, and communication between officials of the two countries concerned with the economic sphere and chambers of commerce, so that the area of cooperation expands, and we explore new areas of mutual interest," he told.
Mevlut Cavusoglu is the first foreign minister to visit Egypt from Turkey after 11 years of estrangement between the two countries.
05:38Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Cairo on Saturday, after a decade of tension in relations between the two countries. During the press conference after the meeting, Cavusoglu stated that Turkey and Egypt will raise diplomatic ties to the ambassador level "as soon as possible".
"My brother Sameh Shoukry told us what we can do about the reassignment of ambassadors. We also had the opportunity to evaluate among ourselves which steps we would take and when. I am sure that we will have the opportunity to maximise our diplomatic relations as soon as possible," he said at the joint press conference alongside Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry, following talks on bilateral relations, regional and international issues.
Turkey's Foreign Minister added that he had "frank" talks with Shoukry, underlining that mechanisms between Ankara and Cairo will be revived.
Cavusoglu also announed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi might meet after Turkey's upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, Shoukry said the development of Turkish-Egyptian relations is in the interest of both countries.
We will continue within the framework of employing mechanisms and restoring their vitality and activity, whether it is businessmen's councils, and communication between officials of the two countries concerned with the economic sphere and chambers of commerce, so that the area of cooperation expands, and we explore new areas of mutual interest," he told.
Mevlut Cavusoglu is the first foreign minister to visit Egypt from Turkey after 11 years of estrangement between the two countries.