CAIRO — Egyptian and Turkish leaders on Wednesday condemned recent ceasefire violations in Gaza after a spate of Israeli attacks and urged the full implementation of the US-backed plan to end Israel’s two-year genocidal war against the Palestinian people of Gaza.Turkey and Egypt are working together on efforts for peace in Gaza as well as stability in neighboring Libya, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo.Erdogan is on an official visit for talks and the signing of cooperation agreements with his Egyptian counterpart.“Turkey is working with Egypt on initiatives to make peace in Gaza possible and will continue these efforts,” Erdogan said.Erdogan said the Palestinian cause topped their agenda as a humanitarian tragedy continues to unfold in Gaza, where Israeli attacks on Wednesday killed 23 people, including children.The two leaders also discussed a range of broader international issues, including their concerns about Libya, Iran, Sudan and Somaliland.“Our shared objective with Egypt continues to be the preservation of Libya’s unity and territorial integrity to establish lasting stability in the country,” he added.He also noted that Turkey rejects Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, citing the need to protect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.On the situation in Egypt’s southern neighbor Sudan, Erdogan said that Ankara wants a ceasefire in Sudan, then sustainable peace in the country.On rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, Erdogan said: “Resolving issues with Iran, including the nuclear issue, through diplomatic means is the most appropriate method.”On Syria, the president underlined that Turkey supports Syria’s major transformation, as the region will benefit greatly from Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity.Noting that Egypt is already Turkey’s largest trade partner in Africa, Erdogan said Ankara aims to boost the bilateral trade volume from $8-9 billion to $15 billion.“Turkey wants to enhance its cooperation with Egypt in the fields of maritime trade and transportation, freedom of navigation, and maritime security,” he said. Erdogan and el-Sisi inked numerous bilateral agreements covering defence, health and agriculture, and discussed plans to deepen trade ties, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.“We also affirmed the necessity of working to raise the volume of trade exchange to $15bn and removing any obstacles that may hinder achieving this goal,” said el-Sisi, who along with Erdogan was to attend the closing session of a bilateral business forum in the Egyptian capital.Erdogan’s Cairo visit followed a trip a day earlier to Saudi Arabia, where Ankara says it also plans to strengthen economic and energy cooperation. — AgenciesCAIRO — Egyptian and Turkish leaders on Wednesday condemned recent ceasefire violations in Gaza after a spate of Israeli attacks and urged the full implementation of the US-backed plan to end Israel’s two-year genocidal war against the Palestinian people of Gaza.Turkey and Egypt are working together on efforts for peace in Gaza as well as stability in neighboring Libya, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo.Erdogan is on an official visit for talks and the signing of cooperation agreements with his Egyptian counterpart.“Turkey is working with Egypt on initiatives to make peace in Gaza possible and will continue these efforts,” Erdogan said.Erdogan said the Palestinian cause topped their agenda as a humanitarian tragedy continues to unfold in Gaza, where Israeli attacks on Wednesday killed 23 people, including children.The two leaders also discussed a range of broader international issues, including their concerns about Libya, Iran, Sudan and Somaliland.“Our shared objective with Egypt continues to be the preservation of Libya’s unity and territorial integrity to establish lasting stability in the country,” he added.He also noted that Turkey rejects Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, citing the need to protect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.On the situation in Egypt’s southern neighbor Sudan, Erdogan said that Ankara wants a ceasefire in Sudan, then sustainable peace in the country.On rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, Erdogan said: “Resolving issues with Iran, including the nuclear issue, through diplomatic means is the most appropriate method.”On Syria, the president underlined that Turkey supports Syria’s major transformation, as the region will benefit greatly from Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity.Noting that Egypt is already Turkey’s largest trade partner in Africa, Erdogan said Ankara aims to boost the bilateral trade volume from $8-9 billion to $15 billion.“Turkey wants to enhance its cooperation with Egypt in the fields of maritime trade and transportation, freedom of navigation, and maritime security,” he said. Erdogan and el-Sisi inked numerous bilateral agreements covering defence, health and agriculture, and discussed plans to deepen trade ties, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.“We also affirmed the necessity of working to raise the volume of trade exchange to $15bn and removing any obstacles that may hinder achieving this goal,” said el-Sisi, who along with Erdogan was to attend the closing session of a bilateral business forum in the Egyptian capital.Erdogan’s Cairo visit followed a trip a day earlier to Saudi Arabia, where Ankara says it also plans to strengthen economic and energy cooperation. — Agencies
Turkey and Egypt working together on Gaza peace efforts, says Erdogan
