Turkey To Take ‘New Steps’ towards Normalizing Ties With Egypt

File photo. Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal (L) (AFP)
File photo. Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal (L) (AFP)
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Turkey To Take ‘New Steps’ towards Normalizing Ties With Egypt

File photo. Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal (L) (AFP)
File photo. Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal (L) (AFP)

Turkey announced that it will take more steps to normalize relations with Egypt, but denied appointing a new ambassador to Cairo.

“Ankara and Cairo are taking positive steps and ambassadors will be reciprocally appointed when the time is right,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters after a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels.

The Minister denied recent reports that his country appointed an ambassador to Egypt, adding that a new Charge d'Affaires will be appointed to replace the current one whose mandate has expired.

The Turkish statements came months after Cairo and Ankara held "exploratory talks" to address bilateral relations and several regional issues, aiming to normalize ties between the two countries.

Former Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Ali Al Hefni told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that there is a common will in Cairo and Ankara to address their problems, even if gradually.

“The progress of relations could have been faster than that if Ankara had the desire to deal more decisively with some issues that represent a priority for the Egyptian state,” he said.

Relations between Ankara and Cairo deteriorated in 2013 over the Turkish position on the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood rule in Egypt and its support for the group that the Egyptian authorities have designated a terrorist organization.

While the two countries withdrew their ambassadors simultaneously, their embassies remained open and continued to work at the Chargé d'Affaires level over the past eight years.

Meanwhile, Turkish diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that it will take time to see relations between the countries back to normal.

“The normalization steps are progressing slowly,” the sources said, attributing the delay to the conditions set by Cairo for restoring relations with Ankara.

Although Al-Hefni had stressed that relations between the two countries still need some time before being completely repaired, due to unresolved issues, he confirmed that the steps taken until now were good.

The Turkish sources said that Ankara is working on the file of the Muslim Brotherhood, noting that it is not considered the main obstacle hampering the normalization of relations.

“It is one of the important files in which Cairo wants Ankara to show a clear position,” the sources said.

During the past months, Turkey took steps that Cairo described as "positive," after Ankara ordered Istanbul-based channels affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood to stop airing criticism and incitement against Egyptian authorities.



UN Official Says Israel Strikes Lebanon-Syria Border Crossing

 People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
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UN Official Says Israel Strikes Lebanon-Syria Border Crossing

 People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)

UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said an Israeli air strike hit "humanitarian structures" Saturday at a border crossing between Lebanon and Syria that was previously hit last month.

The crossing, known as Jousieh on the Syrian side, became a key escape route for those fleeing the Israel-Hezbollah war after the main border crossing between the two countries was hit.

But it was put out of service late last month when an Israeli strike created a large crater that blocked vehicle traffic.

"A new Israeli air strike hit the border post of Jousieh, where many Lebanese and Syrians cross from Lebanon to Syria," Grandi said on social media platform X.

"Humanitarian structures were also struck," he said, adding that "even fleeing and taking care of those who flee are becoming difficult and dangerous as the war continues to spread."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said two Israeli strikes hit the Jousieh crossing on Saturday.

The raid came after the main crossing between Beirut and Damascus, known as Masnaa on the Lebanese side, was forced to close by an Israel strike on October 4.

There are six official crossings between Lebanon and Syria, although there are many unofficial routes across the porous border.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of transporting weapons to Lebanon from Syria through the crossings.