Egypt’s Foreign Ministry Summons Turkish Charge D’affaires

Egypt’s foreign ministry summoned the Turkish charges d’affaires on Tuesday to express outrage over Turkey’s interference in and reaction to Egypt’s recent presidential election, state news agency MENA reported.

The summons was in response to comments made by Turkish officials criticising Egypt’s 26-28 May election in which ex-army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi won by a commanding majority, said Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdel-Ati.

The Turkish charges d’affaires was told that such critical statements ignored electoral procedures which were characterised by integrity and transparency.

The conflict between Egypt’s interim government and Turkey’s Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (JDP) arose following the ouster of Mohamed Morsi, who struck up a close alliance with Turkey after his election in June 2012.

His ouster was fiercely criticised by Turkey’s Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who repeatedly condemned the crackdown on Islamists that followed Morsi’s removal from power.

Egypt has summoned Turkey’s ambassador several times since Morsi’s 3 July ouster over Ankara’s critical statements on the ruling government in Cairo.

Tensions heightened further when both countries cancelled planned joint naval exercises scheduled for last October.

Source:  MENA