ANTALYA, Türkiye

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed Friday that the official visits between the leaders of the two countries will have a "definite impact in promoting" bilateral relations.

"Previous meetings held between President Erdogan and President Sisi were to launch a new phase in the relationship between the two countries," Shoukry told Anadolu during his first participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye.

"We hope that with the re-initiation of a more productive relationship, there will be a greater level of coordination where both countries utilizing their abilities and their size will have an impact on the situation, on the challenges that exist in our region," the minister stated.

"We hope that we will find areas of cooperation and that we can have a productive dialogue related to our interests," he added.

Regarding the Egyptian president's upcoming visit to Türkiye, Shoukry said that "the date hasn't been set yet," noting that "the president is looking forward to the opportunity to be in Ankara to continue his dialogue with President Erdogan."

He stressed that "the momentum that is created by these visits will have a definite impact in promoting the relationship and attracting awareness of its importance at the level of public opinion and in encouraging the entrepreneurs on both sides to further explore the opportunities that exist and take full advantage of them."

On Feb. 14, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Cairo for a historic official visit, part of a continuing effort to develop bilateral ties.

The visit marked the Turkish president's first to Egypt since 2012.

Last July, Türkiye and Egypt raised their diplomatic ties and appointed ambassadors.

Ties between the two countries had been at the level of charges d'affaires since 2013.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi