EastMed talks with Greece: Bilateral ties and recent regional developments in the Eastern Med were on the agenda for Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who met in Cairo yesterday, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. Dendias also met with Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit ahead of wider talks between the Egyptian and Greek delegations.

Reading between the lines: Although the statements are scant on the details, all evidence points to Shoukry and Dendias focusing on the situation with Turkey. Just hours before the sit-down, Turkey reiterated its interest in negotiating maritime issues in the Eastern Mediterranean with Egypt after Ankara called for the negotiations last week, saying it wanted to “turn a new page” with Cairo. Egypt denied it was in unilateral negotiations over a demarcation agreement with Turkey in the EastMed, saying it will not negotiate without the presence of Cyprus and Greece.

Background: Egypt and Turkey’s relationship turned extra-frosty last year after Ankara refused to recognize an agreement between Egypt and Greece creating a joint economic zone in the Eastern Mediterranean, accusing the two countries of infringing on its continental shelf. Since then, tensions between Athens and Ankara have also flared up over Turkey’s energy exploration in the EastMed, but Turkey also signaled it would be willing to make peace with the region and be included in the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum.

ELSEWHERE IN FOREIGN POLICY- Egypt and France conducted joint naval drills in the Red Sea, the Armed Forces said in a statement.