Mevlüt

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri hailed Turkey's recent steps towards establishing dialogue with Cairo.

In an interview with Egyptian Al Kahera Wal Nas TV late on April 11, Shukri said Cairo is "keen to establish relations and create dialogue with Turkey that goes for the interests of both countries."

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah and a delegation of ministers made their first visit to Turkey on April 12 since taking office last month.

As part of a two-day visit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Dbeibeh on April 12 chaired the first meeting of the Turkey-Libya High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on April 11 spoke by phone with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar, said Turkish diplomatic sources.

Çavuşoğlu and Mohammad Hanif Atmar discussed the Afghan peace process, according to the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt spoke by phone on April 10, the Turkish foreign ministry said, their first direct contact since a push by Ankara to improve strained ties between the regional powerhouses.

The two ministers exchanged good wishes over the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which starts next week, the ministry added, but gave no further details.

The protocol scandal that overshadowed the EU leaders' recent visit to Turkey keeps unfolding, raising questions about Council President Charles Michel's reaction, but also about the EU's consistency in asking Ankara to adhere to the Istanbul Convention.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry on April 8 summoned the Italian ambassador to condemn the Italian premier's remarks on the country's president.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi at a news conference earlier on April 8 called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a "dictator."

Protocol officers from Ankara and Brussels had discussed arrangements before a visit by the top officials of the European Union to Turkey, and the protocol order was arranged in line with the suggestions of the EU, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said.

Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 7 condemned the Greek deputy foreign minister's remarks against Turkey and its president.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke by phone on April 6 with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic, said diplomatic sources.

The two top diplomats discussed Turkish-Serbian relations, regional developments as well as the modalities of Çavuşoğlu's next visit to Serbia, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The Turkish diplomat heading the U.N. General Assembly has arrived in Ankara, his home country's capital, as part of an official visit.

Volkan Bozkır met with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.