Turkey alerted Muslim Brotherhood against their statements against Egypt
In the first official statement on procedures taken by Ankara regarding Muslim Brotherhood leaders and institutions after the start of an operation to normalize ties with Cairo, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that his country alerted against making anti-Egypt statements.
For the first time, Cavusoglu admitted in public that his country made decisive warnings to certain critics to the Egyptian authorities, particularly those who have made radical languages and statements against Cairo.
In a television interview on Tuesday evening about the limits imposed on the Brotherhood’s TV channels that broadcast from Istanbul, the Turkish foreign minister said: I see some comments here and there on this subject, and rumors claiming that Turkey was selling the Egyptian opposition… There are some opponents to whom we addressed the necessary warnings, especially those who exaggerate the extremist rhetoric against Egypt.
Furthermore, last month, Ankara requested Egyptian opposition TV channels operating in Turkey to stop their criticism of Egypt. Nevertheless, Cavusoglu stated his country still opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood being announced as terrorists by Egypt, affirming that Turkey considered it as a political movement.
A coming meeting to normalize relations with Egypt
Besides, the minister indicated continuing steps to normalize ties with Egypt, noting that a gathering would be held at the level of the foreign ministers’ deputies in the first week of May in Cairo, and then he would encounter with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, to talk about the nomination of ambassadors and means to develop relations in the future.
When he asked about the change in Turkey’s foreign policy, the minister answered: The world is changing at a rapid pace, so is foreign policy….We must be entrepreneurs, and we must find solutions to disputes. Turkey should be the mediator. Our mediation successes are due to an honest and balanced approach.
