CAIRO – The people who filled the hall in the Cairo Opera House clutched posters of his photo and Egyptian and Turkish flags. As he walked in, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan was welcomed by vigorous clapping. "Recep Tayyib Erdogan, the symbol of pride everywhere," was the slogan uttered by one of the attendees, most of whom were from Egypt's best organised political group, the Muslim Brotherhood, followed by more clapping. "O beloved Recep Tayyib. Egypt, our country, welcomes you," shouted another attendee. The Turkish Premier was delighted by the warmth of his reception and said: "I'm just as enthusiastic as you are now I'm in Egypt. I consider it my home and you are my family," he told the audience on Tuesday night. Erdogan paid a three-day visit to Egypt at the start of a North African tour also including Libya and Tunisia. His tour aims to boost Turkey's standing in the region, following the Arab Spring uprisings. The Turkish PM expressed his joy at coming to Egypt in this transitional period, following the toppling of Mubarak on February 11. He assured that Egypt will pass through this period successfully, just as the country has done in the past. Erdogan said he trusts in youth making change, giving the example of Sultan Mohamed el-Fateh, who conquered Constantinople at the age of 21 and brought an end to the Byzantine Empire, absorbing its administrative apparatus into the Ottoman State. He also referred to the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution, Mohamed Bouazizi, who incited demonstrations and riots throughout Tunisia in protest at the social and political problems in the country. He described the young people who have died in the name of freedom, as an awakening movement, which has swept quickly like waves across the region. "We trust in Egypt's young people. Peace on them and all Egyptians. We know that change needs some time to apply. This period needs people to work together and benefit from each other," Erdogan told the attendees. He stressed that the relations between Egypt and Turkey are growing stronger, while the volume of foreign trade between the two countries reaches $4 billion; five years ago, it was only $60 million. Turkey is also working to increase its investments in Egypt from $1.5 billion to $5 billion, according to him. Erdogan was accompanied on his visit here, which ended on Wednesday night, by 280 Turkish businessmen. Earlier on Tuesday, the Egyptian and Turkish premiers signed eleven agreements relating to electricity, natural resources, oil, tourism, education, media and culture. "Turkey is a key for Egypt to enter Europe and Egypt is a key for Turkey to enter Africa," said Erdogan, while an attendee shouted, "Egypt and Turkey are one hand." He mentioned democracy and the right to change dozens of times during his speech, which also dwelt on the co-operation between the two countries. "Turkey will be forever with you," he said, while a voice shouted "Allahu Akbar.” Erdogan went on to tackle the subject of Syria in his speech, saying that President Bashar al-Assad's violent crackdown has cost him the legitimacy to rule, because of his use of lethal force to crush his people, over 2,000 of whom have already been killed. "The Syrian people don't believe Assad, and nor do I. A leader who kills his people has lost his legitimacy to rule. Assad should realise this," he stressed. Erdogan didn't forget to mention Israel, describing it as "an obstacle to stability in the region". Turkey has suspended military ties with Israel, expelled the Israeli Ambassador, pledged to support the Palestinians' statehood bid and vowed to use the Turkish Navy to escort Gaza-bound aid ships in the future. Egyptians cheered Erdogan's tough stance on Israel, describing him as a hero and wishing that the Egyptian Government would do the same. He offered his condolences over the six Egyptian soldiers, who were killed by Israel last month on the Egyptian-Israeli border.
