Turkey and Egypt have confirmed on Tuesday the restoration of diplomatic relations at the highest level, by announcing in a joint statement the exchange of ambassadors. The two governments lived against each other, if not in open hostility, since the coup d’état by Egyptian General Abdul Fatah al Sisi, which was ten years old yesterday.
The new Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, head of Turkish espionage for the last thirteen years, has claimed his own role in this outcome, stating that the first stone of reconciliation “was laid by the intelligence services.” He has also valued, in an appearance together with his Jordanian counterpart, that relations “will advance very quickly after the appointment of ambassadors”, which has already taken place.
The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had enthusiastically accompanied – like the United States – the popular storm of the Arab Springs, made a cross and a line after the overthrow of Morsi, president who had emerged from the polls twelve months earlier. Three years later, Erdogan would experience a coup in his own flesh.
The Islamist Mohamed Morsi – who died behind bars – was, like his co-religionists in Tunisia or Syria, a member of the brotherhood of the Muslim Brotherhood. However, it would not be in these countries, but in Libya, where the interests of Cairo and Ankara were going to collide, even if it was through interposed militias.
The reconciliation between Egypt and Turkey -today consummated, although it began to take shape two years ago- reinforces the possibilities of channeling the Libyan hornet’s nest. The handshake between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdul Fatah al Sisi, during the last World Cup in Qatar, unblocked the process. After “football” diplomacy, “seismic” diplomacy – in line with solidarity with the victims, both in Turkey and in Syria – has led to turning the page on many of the regional quarrels. This very week, Erdogan is preparing to fly to the United Arab Emirates – in search of financial aid – a few years after having broken the blockade on Qatar inspired by his neighbors.
It is, in any case, in Libya, where the rapprochement between Turkey -which supported the government of Tripoli recognized by the UN- and Egypt, which supported Marshal Haftar, in Benghazi, together with Russia, France or the Emirates. What was once one of the most prosperous states in Africa is, since the armed intervention of France, the United Kingdom and the United States -against the opinion of Italy, Turkey or Russia- an open pustule and a permanent source of instability, for the greater glory of the mafias that enrich themselves with illegal emigration to Europe.
In short, two of the three demographic giants of the Middle East are once again looking into each other’s eyes, which will affect the entire region. The third, Iran, has formally entered, this Tuesday, in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, along with Pakistan, India, Russia or China. This last country was key, a few months ago, to heal an even more poisonous wound, by achieving the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Today standard-bearers of the Sunni and Shiite world, respectively, although the rivalry between Arabs and Persians is lost in history. Yemen and Syria are the two battlefields where this reconciliation opens up the greatest hope for lasting peace.
While the Muslim world smokes the hookah of peace, the smoke of violence and occupation continues to rise over Palestine and Ukraine, in the latter case turning into open war.