On Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry praised the recent steps taken in Turkey on the path to normalizing relations between the two countries, and this came in televised statements by Shoukry with the private Egyptian "Cairo and People" channel.
Regarding mitigating the tone of media criticism in the Egyptian opposition channels in Turkey, on the way to preparing the ground for the normalization of relations between the two countries, Shoukry said, "This is a positive step by Turkey, and we certainly affirm that normal relations (between countries) are based on non-interference in internal affairs."
He added, "This is an internationally agreed policy, and if it is stable and continues, it leads to the normalization of relations, and the continuation of contacts at different levels, to set the optimal framework for relations and how to resume them."
As a principled position, Turkey has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the rules of international law, diplomatic norms and the principles of good neighborliness, and non-interference in the internal affairs of any country.
On the link between the return of relations with Turkey and the situation in Libya, Shoukry said that the matter has many aspects, and Libya is of paramount importance to Egypt and its national security.
"We are continuing contacts (with the Turkish side) to evaluate steps to lay a good ground for the return of normal relations," he added.
A Turkish delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sadat Unal visited Cairo on May 5-6, at the invitation of the Egyptian side. At the end of the visit, a joint statement was issued by the two countries describing the exploratory round of bilateral consultations between them as frank and in-depth.
During the past months, positive signs were emitted about the relations between Cairo and Ankara, the most prominent of which was the statements of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, about the possibility of the two countries negotiating the demarcation of their maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean.
This was followed by a praise from the Egyptian Minister of Information, Osama Heikal, for the recent decisions and directions of the Turkish government regarding relations with Cairo, describing it as a good gesture.
On May 7, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of a new phase in relations with Egypt at the present time, stressing that the talks would continue, be developed and expanded.
It is noteworthy that relations between Turkey and Egypt have continued at the level of the Chargé d'Affairs since 2013, and during this period, brief meetings took place between the two countries' foreign ministers on various occasions.
While the Turkish embassy in Cairo and its consulate in Alexandria, the Egyptian embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul, continue their activities.