‘Nothing to worry’ over Egyptian revolution

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

President Mohamed Morsi. AP photo

There is nothing to worry about concerning the recent developments in Egypt as the protests are peaceful and the dialogue between President Mohamed Morsi and the judiciary is continuing, according to Egypt’s envoy to Turkey.

“As long as the debate goes peacefully and with respect to institutions and as long as respect for the people’s right to choose is at hand, I think we are safe. We should not be worried,” Egyptian Ambassador to Turkey Abderahman Salaheldin said Nov. 28 in a lecture he delivered at the Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization (USAK). Morsi’s move to give himself new powers and alleged attempts to monopolize politics created anger and frustration among Egyptians.
Noting that the Egyptian revolution was still an ongoing process, Salaheldin said: “One major difference between Egypt and other Arab countries was the respect Egyptian people showed to Egyptian institutions. The military played a major role in protecting the revolution and in supporting it.

And it handed over power to the president after the first independent election.”

Resolving the issue peacefully and through the ballot is important, he said. “Dialogue continues. The president is meeting with the supreme council and other judicial institutions, his advisers are meeting with other political parties,” he said. “I am very proud of Tahrir Square and this phenomenon.

[Ankara’s] Çankaya Municipality, by the way, is building a park called Tahrir Square in Ankara.”

The new Middle East

He also drew attention to the fact that the Arab Spring had changed parameters in the region, which he preferred to call “the new Middle East.”

“In this new Middle East, people cannot tolerate military occupation anymore. No aggression, no occupation, no bombarding the cities, which Israel has been doing,” he said. The ambassador said Turkey and Egypt were pushing an initiative to establish a Middle East that is free of weapons of mass destruction and to hold an international summit before the end of the year.

He also said Turkey and Egypt “are complementing each other; there is no competition but cooperation.”