UPDATE - Egypt announces start of talks with Turkish delegation

UPDATES WITH TALKS BEGIN, CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE, MINOR EDITS

By Mahmoud Barakat and Iyad Nabulsi

CAIRO (AA) – Turkish and Egyptian delegations began political consultations in Cairo, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and his Egyptian counterpart Hamdi Sanad Loza are leading their respective delegations, said Ahmed Hafez, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Earlier, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry had said that the political consultations to be held on May 5-6 will focus on "necessary steps that may lead to normalization of relations between the two countries at the bilateral and regional context."

On April 15, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced in a live broadcast that it was agreed that the channel first opened between Turkish and Egyptian intelligence would continue through the foreign ministries.

Cavusoglu said Egypt had invited the Turkish side for the visit in early May.

After the inter-delegations meeting, Cavusoglu said he could meet his Egyptian counterpart as well.

Turkey and Egypt have recently released statements on bilateral ties, suggesting a restoration of relations after more than seven years of political estrangement.

The two countries exchanged positive signals on establishing contacts and dialogue, including the possibility of holding talks to demarcate their maritime borders in the Eastern Mediterranean.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev in Ankara