Egypt, Turkey appoint ambassadors to upgrade diplomatic relations
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Attempts at normalization between Ankara and Cairo have been gradually improving.
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Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, March 18, 2023. (AP)
Egypt and Turkey dispatched ambassadors for the first time in years, marking the latest step in the normalization of ties between the two regional powers.
In a joint statement, the two countries declared the appointment of Salih Mutlu Sen as the Turkish ambassador to Cairo and of Amr Elhamamy as the Egyptian ambassador to Ankara.
“This step aims to establish normal relations between the two countries once again and demonstrates their mutual determination to work towards enhancing their bilateral relations for the best interest of both the Turkish and Egyptian peoples,” the statement said.
Erdogan and El-Sisi have been sparring since the military's 2013 ousting of President Mohammad Morsi.
After the so-called 2011 "Arab Spring" in several Middle Eastern countries, Istanbul became a refuge for insurgents. Turkey and Egypt had begun talks to restore relations back in 2021. Since then, the relative improvement in relations between the two countries progressed fast, and the two agreed to exchange ambassadors.
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![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
