Saudi, Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers hold talks in Alamein

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a fraternal meeting on Thursday in the Egyptian city of Alamein.

According to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting brought together Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, and Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, in Alamein on Thursday.

The brief statement said the ministers discussed the latest developments in the region during their meeting.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking from Egypt on Thursday, reiterated Ankara’s desire for Cairo to join the defense agreement signed with Riyadh and Islamabad. His Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, said the legal and constitutional aspects of the move are being thoroughly studied.

Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia signed the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement" last Friday in Mecca, as the region continues to face the fallout from the ongoing US-Iran conflict, now in its fifth month, which has affected regional actors and disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Speaking at a joint press conference after his meeting with Abdelatty during his visit to Egypt on Thursday and Friday, Fidan said, "We hope Egypt will become an official partner with us."

The Turkish foreign minister added, "We have kept them informed at every stage, and consultations are ongoing regarding this agreement, which they are aware of. They have shared their views with us, and they are now evaluating all aspects."

For his part, Abdelatty emphasized that "Egypt has excellent bilateral relations with all the signatory parties," adding, "We are in full coordination with the three partner countries."