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Davutoğlu: Turkey has no issue with Egyptians, but with coup regime

December 29, 2014 at 12:39 pm

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Sunday that his country does not take issue with the Egyptian people, but with the Egyptian coup regime, Turkish media has reported.

“Our Egypt policy is based on principles. We have no issue with Egypt or Egyptians. Our problem is with the administration that came into power when a military coup ousted an elected president and killed 3,000 to 4,000 [people] in demonstrations,” he said.

Davutoğlu stressed that his country does not consider it “legal” to take authority through coups. “Turkey had adopted a principled stance about this issue and this stance is not restricted to Egypt,” he added.

He said that the Egyptian people have pioneering ideas and deep-rooted origins, not only in the Arab region, but in the Islamic world. “We do not have a problem with Egypt and its people, the problem is with the concept of a government that practices violence,” he affirmed.

Regarding relations with Qatar following its recent rapprochement with Egypt, Davutoğlu said that Turkish relations with Qatar remain good, noting that his country does not base its foreign relations on a gut reaction to other countries’ allegiances.

The Qatari emir’s office released a statement on 21 December announcing its intention to normalise ties with Egyptian military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, adding that Egypt’s security is important for the security of Qatar and that the two countries are linked by deep, fraternal ties.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned Erdoğan in July that Turkey cannot contribute to peace in the Middle East without mending relations with Egypt, a key actor in the region.

Speaking about the upcoming Turkish visit of Hamas Chief Khaled Meshaal, Davutoğlu said that: “The Palestinians are one boy facing the judaisation of Jerusalem.” He said that he had phoned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas several days ago to assure him that Turkey would never recognise any changes to the status quo in Jerusalem and that it would do its best to protect the Islamic look of Al-Aqsa Mosque, “which is considered part of our historical heritage.” He stressed that this is the position of all the Turkish political parties.

Regarding the Gaza Strip, he said that none of the pledges made to improve the humanitarian situation have been fulfilled, stressing that his country would exert efforts to support the Palestinian unity government, improve the situation in Gaza and protect Jerusalem.