Egypt warns Turkey of worsening ties

Egypt warns Turkey of worsening ties

CAIRO - Associated Press
Egypt warns Turkey of worsening ties

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir (L) shakes hands with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) before Sisi departures the Khartoum International Airport in Khartoum June 27, 2014. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on July 26 condemned Turkey’s prime minister for calling Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi a "tyrant," warning already sour relations between the two countries could worsen.
 
In a strongly-worded statement, the ministry said it summoned the Turkish charge d’ affaires, the highest-ranking Turkish official in the country, over the comments. It said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is driven by "narrow ideological interests," referencing Turkey’s support to the Muslim Brotherhood group, branded as a terrorist organization in Egypt.
                   
"The continuation of the insults against Egypt and its elected leadership will undoubtedly lead to more measures from Egypt, leading to limited progress of bilateral relations," the statement said.
                   
Relations between Egypt and Turkey soured after al-Sisi led the last year’s ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Mursi, a Brotherhood leader. Egypt expelled Turkish ambassador in Cairo and withdrew its ambassador in Turkey after it called for Mursi release from prison.