Turkey’s FM says no reason for Ankara not to mend ties with Saudi Arabia, UAE

Turkey sees no reason not to mend ties with Saudi and the United Arab Emirates, the country’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

‘There is no reason for Turkey not to mend ties with Saudi Arabia; if they take positive step, we will do so as well, same goes for UAE,” Cavusoglu was cited as saying by state-owned Anadolu news agency.

#BREAKING | There is no reason for Turkey not to mend ties with Saudi Arabia; if they take positive step, we will do so as well, same goes for UAE: @MevlutCavusoglu

— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) March 12, 2021

Cavusoglu added that Turkey and Egypt have had their first diplomatic contacts since breaking off relations in 2013, after the two regional powers have sparred over a range of issues, including the war in Libya where they backed rival sides.

Ties deteriorated after a military coup spearheaded by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ousted the Ankara-backed Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

Cavusoglu said earlier this month that Ankara was prepared to negotiate a new maritime agreement for the eastern Mediterranean with Cairo.

“The normalization of relations is taking place, but slowly, through discussions, drawing up a roadmap, and taking steps on these issues,” he added.

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for the Turkish presidency, said earlier this month that “It is possible to open a new page in relations with Egypt and the Gulf states.”