Erdogan Says Turkish, Egyptian Ministers to Meet in Process of Building Ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference after a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 23 November 2022. (EPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference after a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 23 November 2022. (EPA)
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Erdogan Says Turkish, Egyptian Ministers to Meet in Process of Building Ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference after a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 23 November 2022. (EPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference after a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 23 November 2022. (EPA)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in comments broadcast on Sunday that a process of building relations with Egypt will start with ministers of the two countries meeting and that the talks would develop from there.

After years of tension between the two countries, Erdogan shook hands with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Qatar last week in what was described in an Egyptian presidency statement as a new start in bilateral relations between them.

In a televised discussion program recorded in Türkiye’s Konya province on Saturday, Erdogan said that he and Sisi had spoken for around half an hour to 45 minutes at that meeting on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar.

"We had narrowly focused talks with Mr. Sisi there and said now let's have ministers coming and going at a low level. After that, let's broaden and widen these talks," Erdogan said, also signaling the possibility of improving ties with rival Syria.

"Just as this business is now on track with Egypt, things may also get on track with Syria," he said.



Syria Unable to Import Wheat or Fuel Due to US Sanctions, Trade Minister Says

Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
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Syria Unable to Import Wheat or Fuel Due to US Sanctions, Trade Minister Says

Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)

Syria is unable to make deals to import fuel, wheat or other key goods due to strict US sanctions and despite many countries wanting to do so, Syria's new trade minister said.

In an interview with Reuters at his office in Damascus, Maher Khalil al-Hasan said Syria's new ruling administration had managed to scrape together enough wheat and fuel for a few months but the country faces a "catastrophe" if sanctions are not frozen or lifted soon.

Hasan is a member of the new caretaker government set up by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group after it launched a lightning offensive that toppled autocratic President Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8 after 13 years of civil war.

The sanctions were imposed during Assad's rule, targeting his government and also state institutions such as the central bank.

Russia and Iran, both major backers of the Assad government, previously provided most of Syria's wheat and oil products but both stopped doing so after the opposition factions triumphed and Assad fled to Moscow.

The US is set to announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining its strict sanctions regime, people briefed on the matter told Reuters on Monday.

The exact impact of the expected measures remains to be seen.

The decision by the outgoing Biden administration aims to send a signal of goodwill to Syria's people and its new rulers, and pave the way for improving basic services and living conditions in the war-ravaged country.

Washington wants to see Damascus embark on an inclusive political transition and to cooperate on counterterrorism and other matters.

Hasan told Reuters he was aware of reports that some sanctions may soon be eased or frozen.