In a surprise move, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani made a statement on Dec. 21 announcing Qatar’s intention to normalize ties with Sisi, adding that Egypt’s security is important for the security of Qatar and that the two countries are linked by deep fraternal ties.
Turkey and Qatar had joined forces to protest Sisi, Egypt’s former military head, and questioned his legitimacy since he came to power in 2013. But Qatar’s recent move to reconcile with Egypt is a sign that under pressure from heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the tiny country is distancing itself from Islamist movements in the region, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Just like Turkey, Qatar has been trying to get involved in almost every problematic issue in the region, including those in Lebanon, Sudan, Libya, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Since the removal of Egypt’s first elected leader — former President Mohammed Morsi — from power in June 2013 by Sisi, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been one of the strongest critics of the new regime, saying that it has no legitimacy. Erdoğan’s decision to take sides with Morsi, a member of the MB — which is considered a terrorist organization by Egypt and Saudi Arabia — has damaged Turkey’s relationships with the Gulf States as well.
Under pressure from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, over the summer Qatar told MB members to leave the country. Qatar had been hosting some MB members who had fled from Egypt after Sisi came to power. When Qatar told the MB members to leave, President Erdoğan announced that Turkey would be happy to host them after evaluating each individual on a case-by-case basis. Qatar seems to be focusing on domestic issues as a priority, rather than on becoming a mediator and a regional power by supporting political Islam in the region.
With the start of the Arab Spring in 2011, countries like Qatar and Turkey emerged as supporters of movements such as the MB, which is considered a threat by other Gulf States.
According to diplomatic sources who spoke with Sunday’s Zaman on the condition of anonymity, Egypt is ready to reconcile with Turkey and Sisi will open the door to improved ties if the heavy criticism by Erdoğan and other Turkish officials stops.
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç recently said during an interview with TV channel Al Jazeera Türk that Turkey needs to mend its ties with Egypt but that Egypt should first break the deadlock.
Blocking reconciliation
According to various sources, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and possibly certain other Cabinet ministers disagree with Erdoğan’s decision to continue to have troubled relations with Egypt. There have been a few attempts by the Foreign Ministry to mend ties with Egypt, but at least two of these attempts were blocked by Erdoğan.
During his visit to Turkey in July of last year, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Erdoğan that Turkey needs to maintain a certain level of ties with Egypt because it is a key country in the search for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sunday’s Zaman has learned. Abbas also warned Erdoğan about the country’s close ties with the Hamas leadership.
Sheikh Tamim has called on Turkish officials to take steps to normalize Turkish-Egypt relations, saying it is inevitable that relations with Sisi will improve. The Qatari emir conveyed his message to Turkish officials during his visit to Turkey in late December, according to diplomatic sources.
During the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, a meeting between Çavuşoğlu and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri was scheduled to take place but was canceled by the Egyptian side after Erdoğan’s highly critical remarks of Sisi at the meeting.
According to various sources speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, the idea for the meeting came from the Turkish side. An Arab diplomat told Sunday’s Zaman that many countries in the region do not understand what Erdoğan is trying to achieve by not mending ties with Egypt.
“We should respect the choice of the people at the ballot box. If we are going to support coups … then why does the United Nations exist?” Erdoğan had asked in his UN speech. Sisi toppled Morsi, who was elected in a free election in July 2013, only a year after Morsi came to power.
“It appears that there are two leaders in Turkey with two different ideas regarding policies towards Egypt,” one Arab diplomat told Sunday’s Zaman.
This was a reference to the second blow to the Turkish government’s efforts carried out by its Foreign Ministry to normalize ties with Egypt. Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ömer Önhon was sent to Cairo to meet with his Egyptian counterpart in August in an attempt to improve relations, but Önhon was only able to meet with Arab League representative Ahmed Bin Huli in Cairo and not his counterpart at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The intended meeting was canceled due to remarks made by then-Deputy Prime Minister Emrullah İşler criticizing Sisi’s administration. İşler had called the Egyptian presidential election in May a “sham election.”
“Turkey is losing the Arab world and the international community. The government is trying to emerge as the leader of the new Islamic world. And they share the same line as the Muslim Brotherhood,” the Arab diplomat said.
While Qatar is giving in to pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it still remains to be seen whether Turkey will be able to change its position toward Egypt.
