Turkey slams Arab Monarchs over Egypt , knocks OIC Chief for " dishonorable passivity " !
Turkey slams Arab monarchs over Egypt
Deputy PM Bozdağ keeps up his diatribes against the ills of the modern Middle East, accusing Arab monarchs for supporting the regional status quo. DHA Photo
“There are a lot of monarchic administrations around Egypt. People living under those monarchies might say ‘Look how it went in Egypt, a great success has emerged. Here, why shouldn’t it happen for us?’ Therefore it is clear that there are monarchic structures disturbed by the change in Egypt around the axis of democracy, human rights and people’s will. One must be blind not to see it. It is that clear,” Bozdağ said yesterday.
“In democratic methods, the power is given by the people, but when you look at it, here those who give Sisi the power will always ask for its return. Therefore when you control Sisi, the uprising declares those against it as rioters, terrorists, it executes by shooting. Whatever you want happens without having your hands dirty,” he said.
Bozdağ’s comments came in response to questions at a press conference in Ankara, the theme of which was actually Turkey’s humanitarian assistance to Somalia. He elaborated on his conviction about the reason behind Muslim countries’ inaction vis-à-vis the bloodshed of civilians by Egypt’s security forces.
As was the case in his comments delivered in an interview with Kanal 24 on Aug. 18, Bozdağ’s criticism against the kingdoms in the Middle East region due to their support to the Egyptian army’s coup was paired with harsh comments toward the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.
As indicated by İhsanoğlu and reported by Cumhuriyet daily on Aug. 19, Turkey hasn’t so far attempted to operate relevant mechanisms for the holding of an extraordinary meeting on Egypt at the OIC although the governmental officials have repeatedly condemned the 57-member body for inaction. It is already known that Turkey is not willing to come up against probable objections by certain countries, particularly by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
OIC accused of “passivity”
Taking such facts into consideration, observers say that the source of Ankara’s fury is actually the hardheaded Gulf kingdoms. Nonetheless, stakes are obviously high and Turkish officials, at least for the time being; decline to pronounce the names of these countries openly.
“Yes, we haven’t yet taken any initiative for the OIC to have an extraordinary meeting on Egypt. However, we are continuing to assess the issue with its all aspects,” a senior Turkish official, speaking under customary condition of anonymity, told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday, refusing to deliver any further comment.
Even if Turkey eventually takes such an initiative, a simple majority vote is required for holding of the extraordinary meeting – an unlikely scenario given the clout of Saudi Arabia and the UAE who maintain crucial support for the Egyptian army.
İhsanoğlu’s term in office ends as of Dec. 31 and he will hand his post over to former Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Madani. Sources said İhsanoğlu has no intention to resign before his term ends as he believes that resignation would serve no purpose.
As of Aug. 18, Bozdağ called on İhsanoğlu to resign for “dishonorable passivity.”
Sources also said that the OIC chief has been in constant contact with the Turkish leadership, as he met with President Abdullah Gül around ten days ago and with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 15.
Meanwhile, İhsanoğlu, for his part, reiterated an earlier correction about an interview he held with Turkish daily Milliyet last month. He, once again, recalled in a message posted on his Twitter account yesterday, he had not said that he “warned Morsi beforehand.”
Earlier, on Aug. 18, also on his Twitter account, İhsanoğlu rebuffed criticisms from senior Turkish government officials, saying the organization did not consist merely of the office of the secretary-general.
“What is happening in Egypt is savagery. Born and raised in Egypt, my feelings are beyond an average Turk’s toward Egypt,” İhsanoğlu wrote. “Yesterday the U.N. Security Council convened upon the request of France, United Kingdom and Australia. Our statement made a day after the incident is not [short of] the U.N.’s. Some of our citizens and friends seek statements beyond this statement,” he wrote.
Erdogan - the voice of courage in the Arab world regarding Egypt's coup ?
Egypt committing state terrorism, al-Sisi and al-Assad are same: Turkish PM
The Turkish prime minister speaks during the the launching ceremony of an urban renovation project in Bursa, Aug. 17. Erdoğan saluted several times the crowd with the 'Rabaa' sign made by raising four fingers, which has become the symbol of the massacre in Egypt and at the Rabaa al-Adawiya Square where the supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi have gathered for weeks. AA photo
“The Al-Fath Mosque is under siege. People’s place of worship is innocent. They have burned, destroyed our mosques in Syria and in Egypt. Either Bashar or Sisi, there is no difference between them. There is no salvation with oppression,” Erdoğan said during a defiant speech in the northwestern province of Bursa Aug. 17 where he attended the launching ceremony of an urban renovation project.
Erdoğan also slammed Egyptian officials for describing supporters of toppled President Mohamed Morsi as “terrorists.”
“People are saying ‘we ask for our vote to be honored.’ But there are those calling them terrorists. But I am saying that state terrorism is currently underway in Egypt,” Erdoğan said.
“There are currently two paths in Egypt: Those who follow the Pharaoh, and those who follow Moses,” he added.
Erdoğan condemned the attacks against worship places, including churches, but said that supporters of Muslim Brotherhood where mostly protecting those places from being vandalized.
He also argued that Turkey could be next for "those who were stirring unrest" in Egypt.
The tension between the countries peaked as Turkey recalled its ambassador in Cairo, sparking a reciprocal move by Egypt. Egypt’s Ankara envoy, Abdurrahman Selahaddin, had urged Turkey not to side solely with the Muslim Brotherhood and respect “all Egyptians.”
However, Erdoğan refused to step back from his defiant rhetoric vis-à-vis the July 3 military takeover, accusing those who have financially helped the “coup regime” of being accomplices to its actions. He also assured that Ankara was pursuing diplomatic efforts to increase pressure on the interim government that took power following the military coup.
“We had wanted the United Nations Security Council to speak with a fair and determined voice. The Organization of the Islamic Conference and the European Unionhave no face left to look at in the mirror,” he said.
Erdoğan said Turkey and Qatar had been the only supporters of the Morsi government, while also thanking the Netherlands and Denmark for their position during the current Egyptian turmoil.
Erdoğan saluted several times the crowd with the 'Rabaa' sign made by raising four fingers, which has become the symbol of the killings in Egypt and at the Rabaa al-Adawiya Square where the supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi have gathered for weeks.
August/17/2013
17 dead as al-Qaeda loyalists attack Syrian Kurds in Turkish border town of Ras al-Ain
Kurdish fighters are pictured from the Turkish town Ceylanpınar, as they stay near a rocket lunch, on Aug. 2, during clashes between the Syrian jihadist group Al-Nusra Front and the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the border Syrian town Ras al-Ain. Violent clashes ahve resumed on Aug. 16, a watchdog said. AFP hpoto
The assault on the strategic border town of Ras al-Ain, from which the jihadists were expelled by Kurdish militia affiliated to the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) last month, sparked an exodus of civilians into neighbouring Turkey, an activist said.
The attack on the town was part of a wider offensive by the al-Qaeda loyalists against several Kurdish majority areas of northern and northeastern Syria that began on Friday and was continuing on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Four Kurdish militiamen and 11 jihadists made up the rest of the dead, the watchdog said.
Syrian Kurd activist Havidar said civilians had fled "in waves into villages in Turkey." "Intermittent clashes are continuing to take place till now, in the Asfar Najjar area and the outskirts of Tal Halaf," Havidar told AFP via the Internet.
Government troops pulled out of majority Kurdish areas of Syria last year, leaving Kurdish militia to fend for themselves.
Elsewhere in Syria, rebels attacked a pro-regime militia checkpoint in a majority Christian area of Homs province, killing six civilians and five militiamen, the Observatory said. State news agency SANA said all those killed were civilians, and described the attackers as "terrorists."
Homs has seen some of Syria's worst violence since the outbreak of the conflict in March 2011.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International said prominent Syrian artist Youssef Abdelke and another opponent of the Damascus regime had been "subjected to enforced disappearance." Abdelke and Adnan al-Dibs were arrested on July 18 in the Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus and have not been seen since.
August/17/2013
Egypt cancels naval war games with Turkey
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Turkish naval ships are seen in the Mediterranean sea. (Photo: AP, Sebastian Scheiner)
16 August 2013 /TODAYSZAMAN.COM, İSTANBUL
Egypt has canceled naval military drills with Turkey after Ankara’s harsh criticism of the Arab nation’s violent crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters that has killed more than 600.
The army on July 3 took power from Mohammed Morsi, a top Muslim Brotherhood official who became Egypt's first democratically elected leader a year ago after the ouster of long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt Independent, citing a report from Al-Masry Al-Youm, said Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that it decided to cancel a joint naval exercise with Turkey entitled “Sea of Friendship,” which was scheduled to take place from 21 to 28 October 2013 in Turkey.
The ministry described Turkey’s criticism of Egypt’s crackdown on protesters as “blunt interference in Egyptian affairs, which run counter to the will of the Egyptian people.”
On Friday, however, Levent Gümrükçü, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in his Twitter feed that Turkey conveyed to Egypt about its decision to cancel invitations to participate in the joint naval military exercise and another one within NATO.
It was not immediately clear which country cancelled the naval drills first.
Egypt massacre no longer an internal affair, Gül says
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Turkey’s ambassador to Egypt, Hüseyin Avni Botsalı, speaks to reporters at İstanbul Atatürk Airport before flying to Ankara on Friday. (Photo: Cihan)
16 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Turkish President Abdullah Gül has stated that the bloody military crackdown on supporters of deposed Egyptian leader Mohammed Morsi has gone beyond the internal affairs of Egypt, rejecting Egyptian accusations of Turkish interference in the country's domestic affairs.
Last Wednesday was the bloodiest day in decades in the Arab world's most populous nation. At least 638 people were killed, including 43 police officers, and nearly 4,000 were wounded, the Health Ministry said, in clashes that spread beyond Cairo to towns and cities around the country.
Egyptian security forces backed by armored cars and bulldozers moved to clear two sit-in camps of Morsi's supporters in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and Giza's Nahda Square, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out at both sites.
The move has not only sparked angry protests in provinces across the country, with deadly clashes being reported in several areas, but also received the harsh condemnation of Turkey.
Gül's response came after the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned the Turkish statements, saying they crossed the line and accusing Turkey of interference.
Turkey's strong criticism of the July 3 coup and this week's brutal crackdown on Morsi supporters has strained ties with the new Egyptian administration.
“Unfortunately, the death toll has started to become clear and is now approaching 600. This is unacceptable. The number of deaths remains this high only in wars. We strongly condemn these [incidents]. Even in wars, the loss of life is not at this rate. Using the military against the [Egyptian] nation cannot be accepted,” said Gül, calling on the international community to help the conflict-ridden Egypt to overcome the tumult.
Gül stated that it was of great importance to pull Egypt out of the current chaotic situation, saying everyone should help Egypt.
"Besides analyzing the case and expressing feelings, there is a third point to say, which is how the country should emerge from the incidents. In such an environment of chaos, there is a knocked-out-cold condition in Egypt. It's important to pull Egypt out of that position. In this respect, we and the international community should help the country," Gül said.
The Turkish president underlined that the main task belonged to the Egyptians. “If they [Egyptians] fail to read the situation in Egypt and don't protect their own country, it is hard to intervene from the outside. They need to pull Egypt out of it with common sense. Otherwise, the most significant country in the Middle East will get consumed by its people and its army,” added Gül.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told a group of reporters that his position on Egypt is clear, adding that he supports democracy, and that democratic values in Egypt should be given back to the people.
Turkey, Egypt recall ambassadors
Turkey and Egypt recalled their ambassadors following Ankara's condemnation of the bloody crackdown by Egyptian security forces on supporters of ousted President Morsi. Turkey recalled its Ambassador to Egypt Huseyin Avni Botsalı for consultations.While Turkish leaders kept up their criticisms of Egypt, calling the violence there a "shame for Islam and the Arab world," Botsali, who was summoned by Egypt's Foreign Ministry recently over the Turkish criticisms, arrived in Turkey on Friday for consultations. It was not clear when the ambassador would return to his post.
"It is hoped and wished that this suffering will not be repeated again. Egypt should immediately return to its democratic process, civilian administration and start recovering. This is what Turkey wishes,” said Botsalı, who replied to reporters' questions on his arrival at Istanbul's International Ataturk Airport.
Botsalı also urged Turkish citizens in Egypt to avoid making intercity travels, adding that Turkish citizens should not leave their homes and shops during the critical times.
Botsalı had already been reappointed to Sarajevo in January this year and his term in Cairo officially ended on June 30. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, asked the ambassador to stay in the country for a while longer due to the unrest.
Botsalı has been serving as the ambassador in Cairo for three-and-a-half years. His family has already left the country.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry has warned its nationals who are based in Egypt or set to travel to the country to avoid traveling on roads in the country.
Meanwhile, in remarks to the Turkish press before leaving to Cairo, the Egyptian ambassador in Ankara has stated that Turkish officials did not share their opinions with the current Egyptian administration on how the crisis in Egypt could be solved.
While emphasizing that Egypt has discussed the current political situation with many countries, Salaheldin stated that “Ankara did not share any plans with us [Egypt]. We learnt Turkey's opinion from newspapers.”
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