Egypt, Turkey agree to future talks, though issues remain

Egypt and Turkey announced on Wednesday that they will continue talks on normalizing their relations.

“The two sides agreed to continue these consultations confirming their desire to make progress in areas under discussion and the need for further steps to facilitate normalization of their relations,” read a joint statement.

Turkey and Egypt began efforts to mend relations earlier this year. The two severed ties in 2013 following the coup against the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. Turkey is supportive of the Islamist movement. Ankara is also critical of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has led a crackdown on the group considered a terrorist organization Egypt. The two states also backed opposite sides in the Libyan civil war, which ended last year, and disagree on Turkey’s energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Egyptian and Turkish diplomats met in Ankara to this end on Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition to bilateral relations, they discussed Libya, Syria, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories, according to the statement.

Relatedly, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told Bloomberg on Wednesday that Egypt is “eager to find a resolution” to its row with Turkey.

“When Egypt is ‘satisfied’ that outstanding issues have been resolved, the door will be open for further progress,” he told the American news outlet.

Turkey’s official Anadoly Agency reported Wednesday that normalization between the two states is “expected but not soon.” The piece cited the eastern Mediterranean and the Muslim Brotherhood as outstanding issues between the two countries.