Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty on Saturday held separate talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, highlighting the qualitative development in the Egyptian-Turkish relations.
The meetings tackled regional developments, which experts said is an important step in helping resolve challenges in the Middle East.
Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said Sisi and Fidan affirmed their rejection of an Israeli military re-occupation of Gaza.
They reiterated the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and captives. The two sides also reaffirmed their rejection of the displacement of Palestinians.
Concerning developments in Libya, Syria, and Sudan, Sisi and Fidan underscored the importance of respecting the sovereignty of these countries, and preserving their territorial integrity and the resources of their people.
Later, the Turkish FM held talks with Abdel-Aty. The ministers discussed the pressing regional crises, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khallaf.
“The displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and areas in the West Bank is a red line that we will not allow to occur,” Abdel-Aty said at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart.
He reiterated Egypt’s ongoing mediation efforts with Qatar and the United States to reach a ceasefire agreement, alongside facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Abdel-Aty urged greater international pressure on Israel to increase the number of aid trucks and ensure their unhindered entry.
For his part, Fidan said Israel's policy aimed to force Palestinians out of their lands through hunger and that it aimed to permanently invade Gaza, adding there was no justifiable excuse for nations to continue supporting Israel.
Fidan said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had been called to an emergency meeting.
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister and member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs Rakha Ahmed Hassan stressed the importance of Fidan's visit to Egypt.
“Cooperation between both countries to address several regional issues could develop solutions to confront and possibly resolve Middle East challenges, and could serve as a lever for exerting pressure on Israel,” he said.
Echoing Hassan’s statements, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Democracy Magazine, Karam Saeed said the visit aims to coordinate positions on solving conflicts in the region, especially after Israel's decision to occupy Gaza.
Fidan’s meeting with Abel-Aty in Cairo also tackled the situation in Sudan. The two sides discussed the importance of reaching a ceasefire and allowing aid access.
Regarding Syria, the Egyptian minister rejected any moves that would affect the security and stability of the Syrian people and condemned Israeli violations and its occupation of Syrian lands.
The talks also touched on the situation in the Horn of Africa. Abdel-Aty stressed the need to respect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
At the bilateral level, Sisi highlighted the qualitative development in the Egyptian-Turkish relations, particularly after the signing of the Joint Declaration in February 2024 to reactivate the meetings of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and elevate them to the level of the two countries' presidents.
The two sides confirmed the necessity to boost economic cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye. The aim is to reach a trade volume of $15 billion, as agreed upon during Sisi's visit to Ankara in September 2024. They also stressed the significance of expanding the participation of Turkish companies in investment projects within Egypt.
