https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/5/egypt-turkey-officials-meet-for-talks-to-mend-rift
Egyptian and Turkish officials have met in an effort to restore a relationship after years of enmity. The two regional powers have been at odds since Egyptian military removed the president from the Muslim Brotherhood group which was supported by Turkey; they subsequently designated the group as a ‘terrorist’ organization. However recently, Turkish officials have noted an improved relationship with Egypt. They have been meeting in hopes of developing a strong diplomatic and economic relationship, a sharp contrast from previous, more strained relations. The discussions come after the Turkish government requested Istanbul-based Egyptian TV channels to soften their coverage of the Egyptian government; Egypt responded positively, indicating that the move established a more welcoming atmosphere to resolve points of contention between the two states. Though Egypt has responded favorably to the easing of tensions from Turkey, officials still call upon Turkey to take concrete steps towards improving the present situation– this includes the removal of Turkish troops and Syrian mercenaries from Libya, and the handover of Islamists wanted by Egypt for terror-related charges. (Libya has also been a major point of contention between the two regional powers, as they backed opposing sides in the conflict.) Another major point of contention between the two related to maritime rights and influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. Egypt, as well as other regional actors, felt angered by a 2019 Turkish deal with Libyan officials which would have boosted only Turkey’s influence in the maritime region. Additionally, Turkey rejected a deal from Egypt and Greece attempting to clearly delineate their maritime boundaries.
After years of diplomatic turmoil between Turkey and Greece, the opening of the door to normalizing relations will help to decrease regional tensions overall. Facilitating diplomacy between the two will be key in reaching mutual agreements to previous points of contention, such as the disagreement over maritime rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.