Ankara, Cairo to raise diplomatic ties to highest level soon: Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi would meet to mark the end of a decade of estrangement between the two countries.

Cavusoglu, speaking alongside his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry during a visit to Cairo, said Ankara wanted "to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries at the highest level".

"I'm very glad that we are taking concrete steps for normalising relations with Egypt... We will do our best not to rupture our ties again in future," Cavusoglu said.

"I am sure that we will have the opportunity to raise diplomatic ties to the highest level as soon as possible," Cavusoglu said at the news conference alongside Shoukry, following talks on bilateral relations, along with regional and international issues.

For his part Shoukry said there was a "political will coming from the presidents of our two countries... seeking to normalise relations".

READ MORE: Turkish FM Cavusoglu to visit Egypt as ties between the two nations ease

'Frank talks'

The minister said he had "frank" talks with Shoukry, stressing that mechanisms between Türkiye and Cairo will be revived.

Ankara and Cairo need to work "more closely" for the region, Cavusoglu said, adding: "We will develop our cooperation on regional issues as well."

Cavusoglu also underlined that Ankara would never forget the support given by Cairo after last month's powerful earthquakes.

"I especially would like to thank the Egyptian government and people once again for the support they gave us after the earthquake in Türkiye," he added.

After the quakes, Shoukry visited quake-hit Adana and Mersin provinces, and his visit to Türkiye was the first by an Egyptian foreign minister in more than a decade.

Meanwhile, Sisi was among the leaders who made a phone call with Erdogan following the earthquakes, offering his condolences to the quake victims.

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Egypt are maintained at the level of charges d'affaires on both sides since Egypt's 2013 military coup which overthrew the late president Mohammed Morsi.

Cavusoglu is the first foreign minister to visit Egypt from Türkiye after 11 years.

READ MORE: Egypt's top diplomat visits Türkiye in wake of devastating earthquakes