Erdogan, Sisi meet in Qatar after years of acrimony

After a long period of tension, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan shook hands in Qatar, describing it as a fresh beginning in bilateral ties, the Egyptian Presidency said on Monday. The two leaders were in Qatar to watch the World Cup soccer tournament begin.

Their meeting is seen as a clear indication of the commitment that seems to exist at the political level for improved ties which were rocked by Erdogan’s tough denunciation of Sisi in the past. Although serious objections still remain in Egypt over Ankara’s role in Libya, the two sides appear bent on seeking areas of cooperation.

While concerned, Athens is continuing efforts to consolidate and strengthen the already close bilateral relations with Cairo. Tellingly, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and his Egyptian counterpart General Mohamed Zaki will sign the agreement on Tuesday on search and rescue jurisdictions.