US secretary of state calls Turkish foreign minister to discuss latest situation in Egypt

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

The Turkish foreign minister has been one of the strongest voices condemning elected President Mohamed Morsi's overthrow. AFP photo

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu July 4 to discuss the latest developments in Egypt, Foreign Ministry sources told Anadolu news agency.

Davutoğlu, who held today a 3-hour meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other top officials, detailed Turkey's position about the military coup in Egypt.

The Turkish foreign minister has been one of the strongest voices condemning elected President Mohamed Morsi's overthrow. "Whatever the reason is, it is unacceptable that a democratically elected government was overthrown by illegitimate means, even more so with a military coup," Davutoğlu told reporters before the meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Istanbul today.

Davutoğlu and Kerry also agreed to stay in close contact during the coming days.

Washington, which had criticized Morsi during the last few days, reacted with caution hours after the installation of a new regime in Egypt.

President Barack Obama urged Egypt's military to hand back control to a democratic, civilian government without delay, but stopped short of calling the ouster of Morsi a coup d'état.

He also warned that the U.S. might have to review its aid to Egypt as U.S. law does not allow the government to assist nations whose elected leaders are ousted in coups.

Interim President Adly Mansour, who was designated by the Egyptian military, was sworn in today, as many leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested.