The Turkish Ambassador to Egypt, Saleh Motlak Shen, stated in his first statement since his appointment that Ankara and Cairo agree on the “necessity of holding elections in Libya.” In an interview with the Saudi channels Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, which were broadcasted on Wednesday, he noted that “the improvement in relations between Cairo and Ankara will lead to strengthening dialogue on Libya.”
He mentioned that “Egypt and Turkey are discussing how to deal with the crisis in Libya to work towards a solution and ensure the stability and unity of Libya.” He added that “Egypt and Turkey have a better understanding of each other, and there has been progress in building trust between them.”
The Turkish diplomat referred to the beginnings of resolving the crisis, stating that “political dialogue and relations are based on trust between any two countries. Over the past three or four years, the two countries have been able to build and restore trust between them.”
He emphasized that “Turkey and Egypt are two important countries in the region, and their relations are vital to improving the security and stability in the region, as well as advancing all areas of development. This is important for the benefit of the region, and the region will be positively affected by this relationship.”
The Turkish ambassador further stated that “the relations of friendship and brotherhood between Cairo and Ankara contribute to creating a climate of security in the region, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean.”
On Tuesday, Turkey and Egypt announced in a joint statement the elevation of diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial level. Ankara nominated Saleh Motlak Shen as its ambassador to Cairo, while Egypt nominated Amr El-Hamamy as its ambassador to Ankara.
The Cairo News Channel reported on Thursday, citing Turkish media, that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will visit Turkey on July 27th.
Turkish-Egyptian relations deteriorated after the removal of the late Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in the summer of 2013, a move opposed by Ankara. However, the gradual normalization began with the famous handshake between Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Sisi during the opening of the FIFA World Cup held in Qatar in November 2022.
