Turkish talks with Egypt next week could forge renewed cooperation between the estranged regional powers and help efforts to end the war in Libya, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said.
Turkey has recently begun working to rebuild ties with Egypt and Gulf Arab states, trying to overcome differences which have left Ankara increasingly isolated in the Arab world.
Intelligence chiefs as well as foreign ministers of both countries have been in contact, and a Turkish diplomatic mission will visit Egypt in early May, Erdogan's spokesman and adviser Ibrahim Kalin told Reuters in an interview.
"Given the realities on the ground I think it's in the interests of both countries and the region to normalize relations with Egypt," he said.
In a gesture to Cairo last month, Turkey asked Egyptian opposition television channels operating on its territory to moderate criticism of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Egypt welcomed the move but has been publicly cautious about Turkish calls for better ties between the two countries which have also supported rival sides in Libya's conflict.
"Rapprochement with Egypt...will certainly help the security situation in Libya because we fully understand that Egypt has a long border with Libya and that may sometimes pose a security threat for Egypt," Kalin said.
He said Turkey would discuss security in Libya, where a United Nations-backed transitional government took over last month, with Egypt and other countries.
But despite a UN call for all foreign forces to leave the country, he indicated that Turkish military officers and allied Syrian fighters would be staying.
"We have an agreement that is still holding there with the Libyan government," he said, referring to a 2019 accord which paved the way for decisive Turkish intervention in support of the Tripoli-based government.
Alongside its Egypt initiative, Turkey has sought to improve ties with Saudi Arabia, which were thrown into crisis by the 2018 killing in Istanbul of citizen Jamal Khashoggi.
"We will seek ways to repair the relationship with a more positive agenda with Saudi Arabia as well," Kalin said.
He welcomed the trial in Saudi Arabia which last year jailed eight people for between seven and 20 years for Khashoggi's murder.
"They had a court. Trials have been held," Kalin said. "They made a decision so we respect that decision."
