Egypt President heading for Turkey to strengthen ties

PanARMENIAN.Net - Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will travel to Turkey on Sunday, Sept 30, to try to strengthen an emerging alliance of the two moderate Islamist governments in a region beset by conflict and instability, The Associated Press reports.

Even though Morsi has only been in power for a few months, there are already strong signs a partnership with Turkey is forming - evident by the two governments teaming up to try to end Syria's civil war by firmly backing President Bashar Assad's exit from power.

Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited the Egyptian capital Cairo and pledged $2 billion in aid to boost confidence in an economy badly battered by a tourism slump, strikes and ongoing protests since the fall of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in last year's uprising.

In a 12-hour visit, Morsi will try to strengthen economic ties with Turkey - a country his Muslim Brotherhood group views as a success story of Muslim governance, boasting a strong economy along with Western ties and Islamic piety.

Hassan Malek, a prominent businessman from the Muslim Brotherhood traveling to Turkey with Morsi, said there is much that Egypt can learn from Turkey in the fields of manufacturing, industry and trade zones. He said Egypt could particularly benefit in the fields of manufacturing apparel, and electronics.

Egypt's Minister of Economic Cooperation Ashraf el-Araby told local media that a committee at the level of prime ministers will be formed to push economic cooperation, including opening the African market for both countries.