Turkish President goes to "break the ice" in Egypt

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Egypt's capital Cairo on his first visit in more than a decade, marking a thaw in relations between the regional heavyweights.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi (right) welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Cairo airport, February 14. (Source: The Nations)

On February 14, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived at Cairo airport in Egypt. Host country President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi personally greeted him at the airport and drove him to the nearby Al Ittihadya Palace to inspect the honor guard before holding talks.

It is Erdogan's first visit to Egypt in 11 years, a period in which the two regional powers have been locked in a series of public and bitter disputes over a range of issues, including Cairo's claims that Ankara interferes in the internal affairs of Arab countries and supports militant groups in the region.

Tensions between Türkiye and Egypt began in 2013 when the Egyptian military, then led by El Sisi, ousted President Mohammed Morsi, a Turkish-backed Islamist. El Sisi was elected to office the following year. Relations continued to deteriorate after El Sisi became president. The two countries withdrew their ambassadors shortly afterward and downgraded diplomatic relations in 2014.

However, in 2021, the two sides began talks to normalize relations, with regular meetings between mid-level officials from each side to discuss ways to resolve outstanding issues. The process received a major boost when Mr. El Sisi and Mr. Erdogan met for the first time on the sidelines of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar in 2022.

The full restoration of diplomatic relations and the two countries' declared intention to follow the path of cooperation signal a significant change in the region's geopolitical landscape.

Historically, Türkiye and Egypt have often backed opposing sides in the conflict in Egypt's neighbor Libya, in the civil war that broke out after the fall of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

Egypt also often opposes what it sees as excessive Turkish influence in Syria and Iraq, and sees efforts to advance Cairo's energy plans in the Eastern Mediterranean as potentially affecting Cairo's interests.

Meanwhile, both Egypt and Türkiye possess powerful militaries and have the ability to exert significant influence throughout the region. In addition, Türkiye is the only Muslim country that is a member of NATO, while Egypt is the most populous Arab country and has a significant voice in the Arab and Muslim world.

Historically, the relationship between the two countries and their peoples has been linked for more than a millennium. Egypt became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517 and formal relations with Istanbul were maintained until the early 20th century.

Mr. Erdogan's visit to Egypt also takes place when economic relations and many other fields, including defense, are increasingly developing between the two countries.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said earlier this month that Ankara had agreed to supply drones to Egypt - the first arms deal between Cairo and Ankara since the two governments agreed to upgrade diplomatic relations to ambassadorial level in July 2023 after relentless talks to restore ties.

Despite the difficulties in political relations in previous years, trade between the two countries has shown steady growth and reached over 10 billion USD in 2022.

Observers say that the visit of the President of a NATO member country to an Arab Muslim country in the context of tensions in the Middle East, especially the continued stalemate in the war in the Gaza Strip, is very important.

Both Mr Erdogan and Mr El Sisi have been strongly critical of Israel over the high Palestinian death toll – more than 28,000 people, mostly civilians, have died so far – on its territory and the widespread destruction caused by the conflict that erupted between Israel and Hamas.

Before President Erdogan arrived in Cairo, the Egyptian president said in a statement that the two sides would discuss “regional challenges and issues”, especially efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and send humanitarian aid to residents in the Gaza Strip.

In such a context, many observers believe that a visit to Egypt after more than a decade of frostiness can not only help thaw relations between Ankara and Cairo, but can also create rays of hope for the still-deadlocked conflict between Israel and the Hamas Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tong-thong-tho-nhi-ky-di-pha-bang-o-ai-cap-260905.html