Egypt, Turkey to Exchange Ambassadors Soon

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a Justice and Development Party meeting (AFP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a Justice and Development Party meeting (AFP)
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Egypt, Turkey to Exchange Ambassadors Soon

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a Justice and Development Party meeting (AFP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a Justice and Development Party meeting (AFP)

Turkey said that ties with Egypt are improving, saying that a meeting be held soon between their foreign ministers to name ambassadors to each other's countries

The two countries pulled back their ambassadors in 2013 and reduced their level of representation to charge d’affaires.

Ankara pointed out that there are a number of issues that must be coordinated and tackled with Cairo.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that both countries are engaged in ongoing talks, noting that his meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry has not yet been determined, but soon be.

Cavusoglu said in an interview with Turkish state television that the meeting of the foreign ministers and the resumption of diplomatic representation at the level of ambassador will take place during the coming period, stressing that efforts will be made to boost those relations.

The minister believes that Turkey and Egypt are not on different sides on the Libyan issue, adding that the two countries can also cooperate on the issue of Palestine.

Earlier, Spokesman for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party Omer Celik said that his country and Egypt have work to do regarding bilateral relations, Libya and the Mediterranean.

Following a meeting of the Executive Committee of the ruling party headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Celik underlined the need for coordination with Egypt on several important issues, pointing to ongoing discussions aimed at improving bilateral relations.

The intelligence services in the two countries continue their talks on security issues, despite the rupture of relations between Ankara and Cairo, Celik said.

The talks that started between our intelligence services have moved to the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From now on, steps will be taken to enable us to focus on concrete issues through mutual discussions and consultations.

Last week, Erdogan said that his country wants to make the most of opportunities for cooperation with Egypt and to improve relations based on mutual benefit.

“Our cultural relations are very strong, and we have solid historical ties with Egypt. We have great potential for cooperation in a wide range of fields, from the eastern Mediterranean to Libya,” the Turkish president stated.

After a series of Turkish statements of rapprochement with Egypt, which were followed by contacts between the two countries' intelligence services, a Turkish delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal visited Cairo on May 5-6.

A joint statement revealed that the discussions touched on bilateral and a number of regional issues.



Israel Issues Evacuation Warning for Five Southern Lebanese Towns

A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Israel Issues Evacuation Warning for Five Southern Lebanese Towns

A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The Israeli army issued a statement on Sunday requesting the residents of five towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate in anticipation of airstrikes, while warning residents not to head south.
The military told the residents of Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Arnoun, Yuhmor, and al-Qusayba, to evacuate their homes immediately and move north of the Awwali River.
“You must evacuate immediately to the north of Awwali River to ensure your safety, you must evacuate without delay. Anyone near Hezbollah fighters, facilities or weapons is putting their life at risk”, added the statement.
In a separate statement, the army said that sirens sounded in central Israel due to Hezbollah rockets fired from Lebanon.
It added that six projectiles were detected crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, and that its air forces intercepted five of the rockets, while the last one landed in an open area.