Istanbul:Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan engaged in discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, focusing on Eastern Mediterranean maritime issues. The talks took place on the sidelines of a meeting involving the R4 working groups, which include Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the meeting in Istanbul was part of ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Egypt regarding regional issues and maritime agreements in the Eastern Mediterranean. The discussions are part of efforts to address mutual concerns between the two nations.

During the meeting, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s opposition to the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between Turkey and Libya. Despite this, he characterized the discussions as constructive, occurring in a positive atmosphere. Fidan acknowledged Egypt’s concerns and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions to promote regional stability.

Technical assessments from Turkish media regarding maritime boundary delimitation in the Eastern Mediterranean suggest potential benefits for Egypt. A trilateral agreement involving Cairo, Ankara, and Tripoli could potentially provide Egypt with an additional maritime area of approximately 21,500 square kilometers, compared to a possible agreement with Greece.

These talks are part of broader efforts by Turkey and Egypt to enhance diplomatic relations and resolve previous disagreements concerning maritime boundaries. The aim is to advance economic and security interests shared by countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region.