Monday’s joint news conference in Cairo between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan underlined their nations’ will to stop Israel’s war in Gaza from spreading into a more general regional conflict. The ministers underlined the need of group action to stop more regional violence by discussing several approaches to reduce the tensions resulting from the continuous Israel-Hamas conflict.
Strong criticism of assassination strategies, violations of sovereignty, and the escalation of regional tensions expressed by Badr Abdelatty was directed against He underlined the urgent need of group efforts to avoid the dangerous escalation and stop the situation from turning into a full-fledged regional conflict. The topics of the talks included problems in Yemen, situations in Libya and Sudan, the crisis in Gaza, and Red Sea instability.
Reminding Turkey intends to submit its application with the court on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, ” Turkey is actively observing the trial of Israel at the International Court of Justice.” Fitan underlined that reaching Middle Eastern peace depends on the establishment of a Palestinian state. Turkey is among the toughest rivals of Israel’s activities in Gaza; Fidan charges Israel of undermining efforts at peace.
Both Egypt and Turkey have demanded a truce in Gaza and denounced the latest fatalities in the region, especially those involving Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. After over ten years of tense diplomatic exchanges, this cooperation represents a major turning point in attempts to mend relations between the two countries.
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Fidan also visited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to underline the need of improving bilateral ties. Since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed Egypt’s former Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted from power by the military during major demonstrations in 2013, diplomatic relations between Ankara and Cairo had been tight. Turkey’s attitude toward el-Sissi’s rule has changed recently in an effort at reconciliation of damaged relations.
Egypt and Turkey’s combined efforts show a more general regional goal for stability and peace. Both countries are using diplomatic channels to handle and maybe fix the important problems causing the continuous conflict and regional instability.
