Turkey’s Erdoğan again declares Egypt’s Sisi ‘illegitimate’

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke about various issues at the 'Women and Justice Summit' hosted by the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM), Nov. 24. AA Photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has once again declared his refusal to recognize the “legitimacy” of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, also reproaching those countries that have so far accepted al-Sisi as a legitimate leader.

“There isn’t any country in recent political history where 3,000 people were killed in a day, but this is what Egypt went through,” Erdoğan said on Nov. 24, in reference to the August 2013 killings of supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, by Egyptian security forces during the Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda Square sit-ins.

“None of the previous leaders in Egypt did anything like this,” he added, delivering a speech at the “Women and Justice Summit” hosted by the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM).

“They toppled a person who came to power through votes. What did those countries who call themselves ‘democratic’ say? Did they speak up?” Erdoğan also said.

Ankara and Cairo downgraded their diplomatic relations after Egypt withdrew its ambassador from Turkey over Ankara’s stance on the overthrow of Morsi.

Erdoğan has since repeatedly slammed al-Sisi, who led the military takeover in July 2013, turning the Muslim Brotherhood supporters’ four fingered “Rabia” salute into his rallying symbol.

“When you look at them, they still treat him [al-Sisi] with great respect,” added the Turkish president, who in September nixed an attempt to spark dialogue between the two countries’ foreign ministers in New York following his strongly-worded criticism at the U.N. General Assembly.

“Even if you consider him legitimate, we will not consider him legitimate,” Erdoğan repeated in Istanbul.