Egypt summons Turkish envoy over Erdogan slurs
Foreign ministry summons Turkish charge d'affaires to protest PM Tayyip
Erdogan's critical comments aimed at Egypt
Ayat Al-Tawy, Monday 21 Jul 2014
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/106732/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-summons-Turkish-envoy-over-Erdogan-slurs.aspx

Egypt on Sunday summoned the Turkish charge d'affaires in protest at
disparaging remarks Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan made about Egypt
and its president.

Erdogan on Friday slammed Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi as a
"tyrant" whose administration is "illegitimate," and rebuked Cairo's
endeavours to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Islamist
Hamas movement, which has snubbed the truce deal.

The foreign ministry said late on Saturday the summons was "to express
rejection and resentment over comments the Turkish prime minister made about
Egypt."

Ties between Ankara and Cairo have soured since last year's ouster of
Islamist president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, which Erdogan
has long supported.

The Turkish leader has repeatedly lashed out at Egypt's new rulers, often
calling the army's ouster of Morsi a "military coup."

Late last year, Egypt expelled the Turkish ambassador to Cairo, accusing
Ankara of backing organisations seeking to undermine the country's
stability, in reference to the Brotherhood. Ankara reciprocated shortly
after by declaring the Egyptian ambassador persona non grata.

Erdogan, a vocal supporter of Hamas, which Egypt regards a security threat,
has increasingly spoken out against Israel since it began its deadly
offensive in the Palestinian enclave almost two weeks ago.

In Saturday comments, he accused Israel of "barbarism that surpasses Hitler”
and slammed the US – its closest ally – for supporting its tactics, and the
Muslim world for failure to take a strong stance against the Gaza bloodshed.

Erdogan portrays an image of himself as a global, principled Muslim leader.
He seeks to win a presidential vote slated early in August.