Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey Meet to Discuss Regional Developments

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey met yesterday in El Alamein to discuss the latest regional developments, according to Egypt's Foreign Ministry. The meeting was attended by Badr Abdelatty, Hakan Fidan, and Faisal bin Farhan. Turkey called on Egypt to join the defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and Cairo is considering the move.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey met yesterday (Thursday) in the city of El Alamein in Egypt to discuss the latest regional developments, according to an announcement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry today. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. The Egyptian statement did not provide further details about the content of the conversation. The meeting took place during a two-day visit by Fidan to Egypt, during which Cairo and Ankara are holding talks on political, economic, and security cooperation between them. According to sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the talks also address the war between the United States and Iran, efforts to renew the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the situation in Gaza, Syria, Libya, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Against the backdrop of the meeting is also the joint defense agreement signed last week by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan in Mecca. According to the agreement, an armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all. The countries plan to establish political and military coordination mechanisms, conduct joint exercises, and expand cooperation in defense industries. Turkey has made clear that the agreement is open to other countries joining, including Egypt. During his visit, Fidan called on Egypt to join the agreement and said that Ankara would like to see it as an official partner. Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty responded that Cairo is thoroughly examining the legal and constitutional aspects of a possible accession, and stressed that Egypt is in coordination with the three signatory countries. The trilateral meeting takes place at a time when regional countries are increasing coordination among themselves in light of the ongoing war in Iran, the disruption of trade, and threats to shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf. Turkey is also participating in efforts to establish an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea.