Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Friday said Egypt will seek to reach a point of contentment that there is a 'clear political ground' that meets the needs of both Egypt and Turkey, in case exploratory consultations between the two countries positively progress. In remarks to MBC Masr's Al-Hekaya TV show, which is hosted by Amr Adib, Shoukry also affirmed the need that Egyptian interests be preserved and that Turkey does not interfere in Egypt's domestic affairs. Egyptian and Turkish diplomatic officials earlier this month held two days of 'exploratory' political consultations in Cairo on normalising relations that have been severely strained since 2013. The meeting was chaired by Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdy Loza and his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal, who agreed to evaluate the outcomes of this round of talks and determine the next steps. Shoukry told MBC that the visit of the Turkish delegation was a chance for Egypt to highlight the issues necessary to resume and normalise the relations with Turkey and, therefore, leads to stability in the region. The minister affirmed that the Egyptian-Turkish relations should also not cause any violation to the Egyptian national security in terms of domestic and international aspects. Asked about changes and improvement of the Turkish political discourse on Egypt recently, Shoukry said the ministry is monitoring the Turkish statements and decisions and need to make sure such positive behavior continues. "I think we have to make sure that this [Turkish] behavior continues and lasts and therefore we hold further exploratory consultations until we reach the point that relations are back to normal," Shoukry said. He added the relations have to be based on 'mutual respect and non-interference in the domestic affairs,' saying such principles 'are central in any normal relations bringing countries together and leading to mutual benefits between them.' Egypt's relations with Turkey have been strained since the 2013 ouster of late Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The exploratory talks come as Turkey attempts to mend ties with Egypt and Gulf Arab states and bridge differences over several crises in the region.
