Ambassador shown the door
November 23, 2013Egypt's move to expel Turkey's ambassador in Cairo, Hussein Awni Botsala, on Saturday can be interpreted as a rejection of Ankara's support of toppled Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has repeatedly criticized the move to depose Morsi as well as the military's actions against Morsi's supporters. That includes a crackdown on pro-Morsi demonstrators in August that left hundreds dead.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday that Turkey had attempted to "influence public opinion against public interests [and] supported meetings of organizations that seek to create instability in the country."
Egypt also said it was downgrading its diplomatic relationship with Turkey to the level of charge d'affaires.
mz/ccp (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)