Turkey seeks strategic union with Egypt

Turkey aspires a strategic cooperation agreement between Egypt after the falling out with Israel, Haaretz daily paper reported on Monday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyep Erdogan is scheduled to visit Cairo on September 12 to enhance diplomatic, economic and military cooperation between the two countries, the daily added. The decision was made after the Israel-Turkey relations crisis due to UN-commissioned report on the Gaza flotilla raid in 2010, that killed Turkish citizens, newspaper noted. According to Haaretz the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid UN report was leaked in one of US newspaper foiling efforts to rekindle the relations between Israel and Turkey. Egyptian citizens called upon its government to follow Turkey’s decision in expelling the Israeli ambassador from their country as well as changing Camp David arrangements to allow more Egyptian forces in the Sinai Peninsula, it explained. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced last Friday that Turkey would take every precaution for the safety of maritime navigation in the eastern Mediterranean, Haaretz added. Turkey’s navy will escort civilian boats carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip and provide free navigation between Israel and Cyprus.