Main opposition angered over Egypt policy

ANKARA

AA Photo

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the government’s foreign policy on Egypt, referring to state news reports calling Egypt’s new parliament “illicit.” 

“The Egyptian parliament convened in Cairo for the first time in three years but what was interesting was that, simultaneously, another Egyptian parliament convened in Istanbul,” daily BirGün quoted Kılıçdaroğlu as saying. “Such hypocrisy should not be reflected in Turkey’s foreign policy.” 

Egyptian parliament convened for the first time in more than three years on Jan. 10 under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Kılıçdaroğlu said the state channel, TRT, had presented news of “the real” Egyptian parliament opening in Istanbul, while declaring the parliament in Cairo illicit. 

“Why do you deem the parliament in Egypt as illicit? Who gave you this authority? What is weird is that TRT, the state’s TV channel does this,” said Kılıçdaroğlu. 

Turkish-Egyptian relations have been tense since 2013 when elected President Mohamed Morsi, who was elected on the Muslim Brotherhood ticket, was ousted by the Egyptian military.