Egyptian minister to visit Turkey as ties improve – Ankara

ANKARA (Reuters) – Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is likely to visit Turkey again this week, the government in Ankara said on Monday, adding that progress could be made towards reinstatement of envoys after relations ended a decade ago.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster A Haber that his counterpart would come soon, hopefully this week, with details to be given on Wednesday.

“It is time to take concrete steps,” he said. “During Shoukry’s visit, we can take steps to appoint ambassadors.”

Cavusoglu visited Cairo last month, a decade after diplomatic links were cut by the overthrow of Egypt’s then president and Ankara’s ally Mohamed Mursi.

Shoukry also visited Turkey two weeks ago to show solidarity after the massive earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria.

Shoukry said last month talks with Turkey on the possibility of restoring ambassadors would happen at the appropriate time.

Consultations between senior foreign ministry officials in Ankara and Cairo began in 2021 as Turkey sought better ties with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

But normalisation between Ankara and Cairo accelerated after Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan shook hands in Doha at the World Cup.

The presidents may meet in person again after Turkey’s May 14 election, Cavusoglu also said.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Ali Kucukgocmen and Andrew Cawthorne)