Cairo -

In the midst of accelerating regional transformations and a crowded Egyptian diplomatic schedule, it seems that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry's tour of Syria and Turkey carries far beyond its humanitarian title and goes beyond what can be described as disaster diplomacy.

Shukri's visit to Turkey and Syria is the first of its kind in 10 years, and it comes - according to observers - in the context of completing a long path and efforts to restore relations between Cairo and Ankara on the one hand, and Cairo and the Syrian regime on the other, after it went through several turns during the past decade.

The Egyptian minister started his tour to the two countries by visiting Damascus on Monday morning, and he was received at the airport by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Al-Miqdad. Shukri indicated - during a press conference that brought together the two ministers - that the visit was "humanitarian in the first place, and in solidarity with the people of Syria" in the face of the effects of the earthquake. This was in response to a question about the possibility of Egypt restoring its relations with Syria to its previous state.

Hours later, Shoukry arrived in the city of Adana (southern Turkey), and stressed during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, that his country "will remain alongside its sister Turkey" and that relations between the two countries will rise to the best level.

Shoukry's tour comes days after two phone calls made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Bashar Al-Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In light of this diplomatic move, Al-Jazeera Net seeks to read what Shoukry's visit to the two countries carries in terms of goals, and its implications for the path of normalization of Egyptian-Turkish relations, and efforts to break the isolation of the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, in the Arab world, and the aftershocks and regression of the visit.

In the first visit of an Egyptian foreign minister to Damascus since 2011.. Sameh Shoukry says that the goal of his visit is "primarily humanitarian" pic.twitter.com/9pH0GDC441

- Al-Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) February 27, 2023

What are the objectives of Shukri's visit to Syria and Turkey?

What are its possible repercussions?

It can be said - according to observers - that the recent regional and international developments and transformations indicate a serious desire among the leaders of the countries of the region to zero bilateral crises to meet the challenges, which reinforces the hypothesis that Shukri's visit - the first of its kind to the two countries - is not reduced to the context of a "humanitarian address" only.

This is expressed by the Turkish Foreign Minister's speech at the press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, when they received the Egyptian aid ship in Mersin, southern Turkey, that the development of relations between the two countries is in their interest and is positively reflected in the stability and prosperity of the region.

In this regard, the expert in international relations and Egyptian national security, Major General Mohamed Abdel Wahed, believes that Shukri's tour in Syria and Turkey has common factors, connotations and messages, the most important of which is the affirmation of solidarity after the earthquake disaster, and the push and strengthening of bilateral relations with the two countries.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera Net, Abdel Wahed said that the visit serves everyone at a sensitive time.

On Egypt, he stressed that Cairo also benefits, at least from stopping opposition activity and the media appearance of Brotherhood leaders from Turkish territory, as well as stopping practices harmful to Egyptian national security, such as Turkey hosting some "terrorist elements" according to the Egyptian description.

From the people of Egypt to the Turkish people...

Our hearts are with you in facing the effects of the devastating earthquake... May God protect our peoples and our countries from all harm pic.twitter.com/ufOkhucs6X

— Egypt MFA Spokesperson (@MfaEgypt) February 27, 2023

Will the visit accelerate the pace of normalization of Egyptian-Turkish relations?

Praising the recent development of bilateral relations after overcoming the diplomatic crisis that dates back to 2013, Abdel Wahed stresses that Shukri's visit to Turkey is a strong start to normalization, and that the two countries have a common desire to resume and strengthen relations to achieve common benefits.

He explained that the talk about the return of relations began through secret contacts through representatives of the two intelligence agencies in the two countries, and there were many consensual formulas proposed to reach approaches, and it was agreed to form specialized security, political and economic committees to discuss controversial files, pointing out that the exploratory talks that started their round The first in Cairo, May 2021, led to an improvement in the atmosphere, especially the media, and agreement to continue the talks.

In view of the historical relations and common interests and the imposition of new contexts in the region as challenges to the two countries, Major General Abdel Wahed believes that the rapprochement is in their interests and will not cause any harm, but rather will open broader areas in bilateral cooperation, especially in joint investments, trade exchange and security and political coordination in common files in the region.

Natural evolution

Going beyond the previous proposition, the Egyptian political analyst and professor of international relations at the Turkish University of Sakarya, Khairy Omar, says that Shukri's visit to Turkey reflects a natural development of the path of the return of bilateral meetings since May 2021 (the first exploratory meeting in Cairo).

In an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, Omar added that diplomatic relations exist, and the exchange of ambassadors is a matter of formality that does not establish relations, in addition to that there is an increase in the rates of economic exchange, and the ability to expand and transform them into strategic relations depends on the ability of the two countries.

Omar believes that "disaster and crisis diplomacy" does not apply to the Egyptian-Turkish case, explaining that the infrastructure for the development of relations between the two countries has already taken place, and therefore Shukri's visit to Turkey expresses a response to the disaster such as spontaneous and moral expression, as Egypt could have contented itself with sending Relief aid if there is tension in relations with Turkey.

He added that the main problems between Egypt and Turkey were related to the files of Libya, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Egyptian opposition present in Turkey, so the two countries' perspective on resolving them was related to how to facilitate procedures, and not to negotiate a halt or freeze relations.

important but

From a Turkish perspective, Turkish writer and researcher Abdullah Aydogan stresses the importance of the visit, which remains a sign of rapprochement in the first place, and therefore "crisis diplomacy" will not go beyond the humanitarian aspect, he said.

Aydogan explains, in his interview with Al-Jazeera Net, that Shukri's visit to his country does not reflect the two countries' arrival to full normalization in bilateral relations, as there were no full official and diplomatic ceremonies in the capital, Ankara, adding, "I do not expect the development of diplomatic representation to the level of ambassador between Turkey and Egypt these days." Or as a result of Shukri's visit.

Does Shoukry's visit to Turkey cast a shadow over the Libyan and Eastern Mediterranean files?

Major General Abdel Wahed expects that there will be consensus on the "sensitive" Libyan file between the two countries, and this is reinforced by the visit of CIA Director William Burns to Tripoli and Benghazi a few weeks ago, and the implicit Western and American calls it carried to improve the political work environment in Libya, imposing a state of stability, unifying the army, and expelling mercenaries, as he described it.

Abdel Wahed believes that it is possible in the coming period that there will be common ground through which Egypt and Turkey will coordinate in the Libyan file, and with regard to the eastern Mediterranean file, he made it clear that the development of bilateral relations enhances Egypt's regional role, not in terms of changing alliances, but in terms of strengthening interests. Egyptian.

In turn, Omar believes that the files of the eastern Mediterranean and Libya are left to the joint committees between the two countries, and therefore Shukri's visit is only motivating for bilateral relations.

Is Egypt heading to break the isolation of Assad?

According to Abdel Wahed, Minister Shoukry's visit to Damascus, which is the first visit by a high-ranking Egyptian diplomat since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis in 2011, carries a message of solidarity, ending isolation from Syria and an attempt to restore and warm relations again.

He believes that improving Arab-Syrian relations is the beginning of improving the entire Arab situation, in light of the common challenges facing the region, regardless of the existence of Arab differences over the situation in Syria.

He added that Egypt was keen during the previous period to change its tense relations with Syria since President Sisi came to power, explaining that he was keen to adhere to the "saw hair" in relations with Syria, and was supportive of the political path to resolve the crisis and for the state to return again to its strength and exercise its duties. In the region, without considering the fate of Assad, which was a highly sensitive issue.

The visit, according to the Egyptian security expert, is a sign of a new breakthrough to strengthen Egyptian-Syrian relations and return Syria once again to the Arab embrace.

For his part, political analyst Khairy Omar said that the Syrian file is being settled regionally, not only at the level of Egypt, as several countries participate in it, noting that another meeting will be held between Turkey, Iran and Russia to resolve the crisis in northern Syria, and Assad will attend it.