Egypt ‘shame’ for Islam, Arab world, Turkish President Gül says

QABALA - Anadolu Agency

Gül said Turkey’s warnings should be received as the help of a friend and not as meddling in internal affairs. ‘Egypt lost its conscience. It’s important to pull Egypt out from that position,’ the president says. AA photo

President Abdullah Gül said Aug. 16 the ongoing crisis in Egypt is a shame for Islam and the Arab world, in the latest sign that shows Turkey’s discontent over the massacre.

“The ongoing events are a shame for Islam and the Arab world in this age. Everyone, friend and foe, sees, watches from outside. [Egypt’s] friends feel the pain. I feel the pain for each and every Egyptian who was killed,” Gül told reporters in the Azerbaijani city of Qabala.

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, Gül said Turkey’s warnings should be received as the help of a friend and not as meddling in internal affairs. However, Cairo has cancelled naval exercises with Turkey scheduled to take place in October to protest Ankara’s “clear interference” in Egypt’s domestic affairs, the foreign ministry said Aug. 16. The measures were in “protest at the unacceptable Turkish statements and actions which represent a clear interference in Egypt’s domestic affairs and stand against the will of the Egyptian people,” the ministry said in a statement.

“There are some countries which are not friendly to these countries [referring to Egypt]. And these countries are probably rejoicing looking at the exhaustion of these big powers,” Gül said.

Botsalı returns

“Egypt lost its conscience. It’s important to pull Egypt out from that position. In this respect, we and the international community should help the country. The main task belongs to the Egyptians. They need to pull Egypt out of it with common sense. Otherwise, the most significant country in the Middle East gets consumed with its people and its army,” Gül said. Egypt’s crackdown on the supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi prompted Gül to issue a warning that the chaos in the country threatened to ignite a civil war to similar the conflict in Syria.

Meanwhile, Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Hüseyin Avnı Botsalı, returned to Turkey for consultations. “Egypt should immediately return to its democratic process and start recovering. This is what Turkey wishes,” Botsalı said upon his arrival in Istanbul.

Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Cairo as tensions with Egypt worsen. Egypt retaliated by recalling its envoy to Turkey. Botsalı had already been reassigned to Sarajevo in January this year and his term in Cairo officially ended June 30. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, asked the ambassador to stay in the country longer due to the unrest.

The ambassador said there was no danger for Turks living in Egypt but urged them not to travel intercity and to act with restraint. He also said they did not expect security problems at holiday resorts and the curfew in Sharm el-Sheikh was lifted.