Turkey, Egypt in diplomatic-level contacts: FM Çavuşoğlu

Turkey and Egypt have started diplomatic-level contacts after years-long hiatus with disruption of relations in 2013, according to the Turkish foreign minister.

"We have contacts both at the level of intelligence and foreign ministries with Egypt. Diplomatic-level contacts have started," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency and TRT.

Noting that neither side put forward preconditions, Çavuşoğlu said ties distracted for years could not be built at once and easily.

He said having a lack of trust is also normal in such situations and may occur for both parties.

"For this reason, negotiations take place and continue under a certain strategy, road map," Çavuşoğlu said.

Afghan peace process

On the U.S. offer to the Turkish government to host a senior-level meeting between the Afghan government representatives and the Taliban in the coming weeks to finalize a peace agreement, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey had been
involved in the process since the beginning.

"We are one of the few countries invited to this signing ceremony, and we are one of the most important actors in Afghanistan," he noted.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said Washington intends to ask the U.N. to convene foreign ministers and envoys of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and the U.S. to
discuss how to promote peace in Afghanistan.

Turkey is trusted by both parties of the negotiation, Çavuşoğlu said, and noted: "Both the Taliban and the negotiation delegation, meaning the government side, had asked us to host such a meeting before."

He stressed that Turkey would also appoint a special envoy for Afghanistan to...