Cairo: Egypt on Thursday reacted with anger to criticism made in a UN address by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi and cancelled planned talks between foreign ministers of both countries in protest, signaling further strains in the Cairo-Ankara ties.
“Egypt followed with grave dismay and condemnation the Turkish president’s address at the UN General Assembly, which included lies and fallacies that can be described at least as mocking and infringing the great Egyptian people’s will,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Erdogan on Wednesday criticised the UN for “legitimising” Al Sissi who last year led the army’s ouster of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi, a staunch ally of Turkey.
“If we want to support coups, then why does the UN exist?” Erdogan said, implicitly referring to Al Sissi.
Erdogan is an outspoken critic of Al Sissi, who held Egypt’s presidency in June after sweeping a two-candidate election.
In its statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry accused Erdogan of “inciting chaos and discord” in the Middle East by allegedly funding or sheltering radical groups — a veiled reference to Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood.
“In view of this lack of decorum and his [Erdogan]’s flagrant interference in Egypt’s internal affairs, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri decided to cancel a meeting requested by the Turkish foreign minister,” added the ministry.
The meeting was scheduled for Thursday.
Relations between Egypt and Turkey have soured since July last year when the army, led at the time by Al Sissi, toppled Mursi following enormous street protests against the Islamist leader’s rule.
Egypt last November expelled the Turkish ambassador and downgraded diplomatic links with Ankara to the charge d’affaires level.
In his address to the UN on Wednesday, Al Sissi, without naming the Musim Brotherhood, said the Egyptians had rebelled against the “tyranny pursued by a group in the name of religion”.
He added that his administration is seeking to build what he called a “new Egypt” based on respect for freedom and independence of different powers, remarks apparently aimed at rebutting criticisms of alleged rights abuses in the country.
