'Sovereignty, int'l law key to mend Turkey, Egypt ties'

ISTANBUL

The principle of sovereignty and Arab national security must be respected in efforts to improve relations between Egypt and Turkey, an Egyptian official said on Friday.

“Egypt expects any country that seeks to establish normal relations with it should abide by the rules of international law, the principles of sovereignty and good neighbor policy, and to cease attempts to intervene in the internal affairs of the Arab countries in the region,” Egypt’s state-run Middle East News Agency reported the unnamed official as saying.

Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Egypt exist at the level of charge d’affaires, so it cannot be said that the two countries have resumed diplomatic contacts, the official said.

The official added that people of Turkey and Egypt enjoy strong ties.

After years of disrupted ties, Ankara announced on Friday that the two countries have resumed “diplomatic-level contacts.”

“We have contacts at both the level of intelligence and foreign ministries with Egypt. Diplomatic-level contacts have started,” said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Noting that neither side put forth preconditions, he said since ties were derailed back in 2013, they cannot be mended quickly or easily.

He said a lack of trust is also normal in such situations and may exist for both parties. “For this reason, negotiations take place and continue under a certain strategy, a roadmap,” Cavusoglu said.