Egypt Not To Renew Maritime Deal With Turkey

Egypt will not renew a maritime transport agreement it signed with Turkey in 2012, a senior Egyptian Transport Ministry official said Monday.



Ahmed Amin, a ministry advisor for maritime affairs, said that Egypt would not renew its RO-RO (roll on/roll off) agreement with Turkey after it expires next April.



Signed in March 2012, the agreement allows the use of Egyptian seaports for the transport of Turkish foodstuffs, electrical appliances and textile products to markets in the Gulf.



The deal, due to expire on April 29, acquired special importance after Syrian authorities hindered the access of Turkish products into Gulf markets following the eruption of Syria's civil war.



Said Abdullah, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's foreign trade and commercial agreements division, said Egypt had decided not to renew the agreement for "economic reasons."



On Sunday, Abdullah had told Anadolu Agency that Egypt was still weighing the benefits of the agreement before deciding on whether or not to renew it.



Relations between Cairo and Ankara have nosedived since last year's ouster of Mohamed Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president – by the army.



The move has frequently been described by Turkey as a "military coup."



Last November, the two countries downgraded their diplomatic relations.



By Khaled Moussa al-Omrani



englishnews@aa.com.tr



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