Turkish PM criticizes Egypt’s army council

ANKARA

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Egypt’s ruling military council yesterday for failing to hand power over to the people, while extending support to President Mohamed Morsi in his efforts to continue the country’s democratization.

Erdoğan, speaking at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said Egypt’s ruling military council’s move to dissolve the country’s Parliament was “against the will of the Egyptian people.”

The prime minister expressed hope that Egyptians would produce a legislative Parliament that reflects their will, saying: “In a democracy, rules are clearly defined. Once you embark on that road, you cannot introduce new rules. Unfortunately, those new rules have been established in Egypt, and this disrespects the will of the Egyptian people.”

Insurgents in Mali

Erdoğan also criticized Islamists in northern Mali who have been destroying Muslim shrines in Timbuktu. “This vandalism is being conducted by some organizations who call themselves Muslims. What is being done in Timbuktu is vandalism and disrespect to humanity and its ancestors,” he said.

Noting that Muslim people living in Myanmar’s Arakan state had been experiencing difficult times, Erdoğan called on the international community to be “more sensitive toward Muslim people who have left their homes, proprieties and lives due to religious fanatics.”

The prime minister also issued a strong message of support and solidarity to Bosniaks on the 17th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, Europe’s largest mass killing since World War II.