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Libyan conflict stands out as key to Turkey-Egypt normalization

Turkey appears reluctant to back down from its military posture in Libya, even as its normalization bid with Egypt depends greatly on whether the two sides find common ground in the Libyan conflict.
A man walks near a laundry clothing line hanging in the open by a building in the city of Tawergha, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) east of Libya's capital close to the port city of Misrata, on Dec. 12, 2020.

Turkey and Egypt held their first high-level meeting in eight years last week, but Ankara has shown no signs of backing down in Libya thus far, even as its normalization bid with Cairo depends largely on whether the two regional rivals find common ground in the Libyan conflict.

The May 5-6 talks in Cairo, chaired by the deputy foreign ministers of the two countries, took place relatively soon after Turkey began to publicly voice its overtures in March — a signal that Egypt, too, is eager to break the ice in bilateral ties.

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