Egypt urges Turkey to withdraw from Syria

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Thursday, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry urged Turkey to withdraw its troops from Syria and to preserve the country’s sovereignty, underscoring lingering tensions despite recent efforts to mend ties.

This came during a visit paid by Shoukry to Ankara for his third talk with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in two months. 

“Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be preserved,” Shoukry said.

He also reaffirmed Cairo’s desire to continue improving relations with Turkey, which broke down following the ousting of Egypt’s former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, an ally of Turkey, in 2013.  

However, Shoukry brought up disagreements over Syria, where Turkey has troops and supports armed opposition factions.

In a phone call with the UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen last week, the Egyptian official called for ending “foreign interference” in Syria for security and stability prevail in the country. 

On April 1, Shoukry received Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad in a first visit since the beginning of the Syrian war in 2011.

“I said that Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be preserved,” Shoukry told reporters, adding, “I said that foreign powers should be withdrawn from Syrian territory.”

Reporting by John Ahmad