Today, Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed the importance of restoring relations between Egypt and Turkey to their previous level and advancing them in line with the common interest of the two countries, while his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that the development of relations between Ankara and Cairo is in their interest and reflects positively on the stability and prosperity of the region.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister arrived in Adana, southern Turkey, on a visit to show solidarity with the Turkish people following the earthquake that struck the south of the country.

Shoukry indicated, during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Adana, that there is a political will, and that it will be important to create a very strong foundation within the scope of said political will.

The Egyptian minister added that he had seen the needs of the Turkish people in terms of aid, and that Egypt would do everything in its power to provide this aid through Egyptian organizations.

Shoukry renewed his condolences to the Turkish people for the earthquake victims, indicating that his visit to Turkey is a message of solidarity and friendship.

He also expressed his sadness at the repercussions of the earthquake disaster in Turkey, noting that his country provided and will continue to provide aid to Turkey.

Shoukry expressed his country's confidence in Turkey's ability to overcome the effects of the earthquake as soon as possible, stressing that Egypt gave priority to the passage of ships loaded with aid from the Suez Canal.

Shoukry stressed that Cairo will remain with its sister Turkey, and that relations between the two countries will rise to the best level.

#Turkey..Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu receives his Egyptian counterpart #Sameh_Shukry in the state of #Adana affected by the #earthquake of February 6 https://t.co/sGfi0xDv3F pic.twitter.com/ekncikp0mV

— ANADOLU AGENCY (AR) (@aa_arabic) February 27, 2023

Turkish tribute

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu praised his Egyptian counterpart's visit to Turkey, stressing that it is an important and meaningful issue for Turkey.

Cavusoglu thanked Egypt, the government and people, for its solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that struck southern Turkey on February 6.

He explained that Egypt was among the first countries to send humanitarian aid to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey.

And the Turkish minister added, "We are opening new pages in our relations with Egypt, and the meeting that brought together President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Doha was very fruitful, and during my meeting with Minister Shoukry at Adana airport a short while ago, we discussed the steps that must be taken to strengthen relations between the two countries." .

He added that Egypt is an important country for the Mediterranean region, the Arab world, the Islamic world, Palestine and Africa, and it is in the interest of all of us that Egypt be strong.

The visit of the Egyptian minister is the first in 10 years.

The minister was received at Shakir Pasha Airport by his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The two ministers are scheduled to visit an Egyptian aid ship that arrived in Adana.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad (right) receives his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry (Reuters)

Damascus visit

Hours before his visit to Turkey, the Egyptian Foreign Minister arrived in Damascus, Monday morning, in the first visit of its kind in more than 10 years as well.

The official Syrian news agency, SANA, said that Shukri arrived at Damascus International Airport on a visit to affirm "solidarity with Syria in facing the repercussions of the earthquake."

He was received at the airport by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal al-Miqdad.

Yesterday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that Shoukry would visit Syria and Turkey in order to convey a message of solidarity from Egypt with the two countries and their brotherly peoples, following the disaster of the earthquake on February 6, which claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people in the two countries.

Since the earthquake occurred, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has received many calls, most notably a call from his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for the first time.

Egypt sent aid to the affected areas under the control of the Syrian regime, as it sent 3 planes and two ships.

Shoukry's visit today comes after a delegation from the Union of Arab Parliaments visited Damascus yesterday, which included Egyptian Parliament Speaker Hanafi Jabali, who was described by the official Egyptian media as the highest-ranking Egyptian official to visit Damascus in more than 10 years.

The director of the General Intelligence Department in the Syrian regime, Major General Ali Mamlouk, visited Cairo in 2016, in the first announced visit abroad since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution.