Turkey-Egypt tension over ouster of President Mohammad Mursi

 -BY DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL

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Turkey's Islamic-based government had strongly backed Egyptian president Mohammad Mursi as an example for the Arab world of a democratically elected pro-Islamic leader and has strongly criticized his July 3 ouster. Tensions grew further following Turkey's criticism of the Egyptian military's move against his supporters in which hundreds died, thousands injured. .

Relations between Turkey and Egypt were warm under President Mursi, like Erdogan an Islamist. Erdogan, a supporter of former president Mohamed Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood movement, has infuriated the interim government in Cairo by terming his ouster a military "coup".

The military terrorism on Turkish masses has shocked and annoyed Turkey as the leader of Islamist movement. Turkey has emerged as one of the fiercest international critics of what it has called an unacceptable coup after Egypt's military illegally toppled Mursi last month.

Turkey recalled its ambassador to Egypt for consultations, following Ankara's condemnation of a bloody crackdown by Egyptian security forces on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Mursi.  Egyptian military reciprocated quickly, announcing that had also recalled its ambassador to Ankara. In retaliation, Turkey's ambassador to Cairo has been summoned for consultations by Egypt's Foreign Ministry recently over Turkish criticisms of Mursi's July 3 ouster.

Turkey has called on the U.N. Security Council to act quickly to stop the bloodshed in Egypt. The move comes shortly after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the West of ignoring bloodshed in Egypt and called on the U.N. Security Council to meet urgently to discuss the situation, where around 640 people have died in violence over the past two days.

The recall of Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo was a natural action as tensions with Egypt worsen dramatically following the bloody crackdown on supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president. Erdogan has condemned what he called the "massacre" of peaceful protesters. Nearly 600 people were killed in the violence that erupted on Wednesday when security forces moved in to break up pro-Morsi protest camps, the worst unrest in the country since the 2011 uprising that unseated Hosni Mubarak.

Military terrorism

Tensions ran high across Egypt a day after the huge state crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Mursi. The crackdown drew international condemnation with France warning of the threat of “civil war” and Turkey demanding UN action.



Muslim Brotherhood and its allies suffered a heavy blow from the crackdown, their central coordination has been lost and the bloodshed means anger is now “beyond control”. The spokesman Gehad El-Haddad pointed to the depth of the crisis facing the movement that just six weeks ago controlled the presidency but is now struggling to keep a grip over its base with hundreds killed by the police in 24 hours. Haddad said he did not know where all of the group’s leaders were following the attack on two protest camps that had become hubs of opposition to the army-backed government. He added that two of them had been shot when the police moved to break up the camps set up by supporters of Mursi, jailed since he was toppled by the military on July 3 following mass protests against his rule. After the blows and arrests and killings that we are facing emotions are too high to be guided by anyone.

However, there has been growing concern that Islamists angered by the failure of democracy would turn to militancy of the type Egypt has witnessed in its recent past.

Military regimes

The chief concern of military regimes remains to showcase its terror prowess and silence the masses.  Egyptian military now rules and at the same time targeting all those who want to protect the nation from falling destabilized.

The military massacre of brotherhood supporters and arrest of leaders, including ousted president Mursi only proves that point beyond doubt.

Turkey's once powerful army, which has long considered itself as the self-appointed guardian of Turkish secularism, has staged four coups in half a century. The ruling Justice and Development Party has had tough time dealing with these extra constitutional military rulers.

The architect of Islamic democracy, Erdogan, heading Turkey's ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), had forged a close alliance with Egyptian brotherhood and Mohammad Mursi since he was elected in the country's first free election in June 2012. The Islamist leader was invited to the AKP's annual congress last September where Erdogan positioned Turkey as a regional standard-bearer and a model for the successful marriage between Islam and democracy. "We have shown everyone that an advanced democracy can exist in a predominantly Muslim country," Erdogan told the congress. "We have become a role model for Muslim countries."

The bloody crackdown on peaceful demonstrators by  the military out of guilty consciousness was a breaking point for Turkey, which would make it very hard for Erdogan's government to reconcile with the military regime in Egypt.

Egypt urged Turkey to ease current tensions in the latter's relations with Israel in order to restore the Turkish role in resolving regional disputes. Cairo denied the existence of competition with Ankara in terms of regional leadership, saying that Turkey’s diplomatic role merely complemented its own. Military of Egypt says if Turkey is to resume playing its part in regional issues, its troubled relations with Israel will not help it-- and Ankara is aware of this fact.

Tensions between Turkey and Egypt reigned even during the Mubarak era. In a meeting between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, both the Israeli and Turkish sides agreed to work on containing tensions by a number of means, which were reflected at a recent meeting between Israeli Infrastructure Minister Benjamen Ben Eliazer and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu" in Munich, Germany. The tension had a negative impact on the two countries' ability to play their roles or to offer mediation. Also, for progress on the Syria-Israel peace track, with Turkey and Arab states contributing on this front. “Egypt is not afraid of the part Turkey is playing in the region”.  Egypt is not seeking a renewed regional standing since its role has been secure for years. The Palestinian factions admit the centrality of Egypt role. Turkey would be permitted to take part in the reconciliation process between Palestinian factions, the Turkish role completes Egypt’s role, as has been noted by Turkey’s president, prime minister and foreign minister.” Turkey was attempting to consummate Egypt’s role by providing support both on the level of peace negotiations and in terms of Palestinian reconciliation.

Egypt remained adamant in its position on the issue.

International criticism and Massacre fallout

It is strange even with Turkey supporting Brotherhood rulers in Egypt, and US supporting democratic process in Egypt and Mideast, the military could smartly stage a coup derailing development programs and stability of the nation.

As violence spread quickly, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting over the “massacre” of Mursi supporters.

Paris, London and Berlin summoned Egypt’s ambassadors to voice their strong concern.

China was characteristically muted, calling for “maximum restraint” from all parties, while fellow Security Council permanent member Russia only urged tourists to avoid trips to Egypt. French President Francois Hollande said “everything must be done to avoid a civil war” in Egypt, while his government conveyed France’s “great concern over the tragic events” to Egypt’s envoy.  

International criticism has poured in, with US President Barack Obama cancelling a joint US-Egyptian military exercise and the United Nations Security Council holding an emergency meeting on the crisis.

USA cancelled joint military exercises with Egypt, stops short of suspending aid

US President Barack Obama canceled exercises with Egypt’s military to protest the killing of hundreds of protesters but stopped short of suspending $1.3 billion in annual aid. Obama urged Egyptian authorities to lift a state of emergency and allow peaceful dissent, saying he “strongly” condemned the crackdown on demonstrators. “While we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back,” Obama told reporters at his vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard. Obama said the US informed Egypt it was calling off the Bright Star exercises, which has been scheduled every two years since 1981.

Turkey invested both politically and financially in Egypt after Morsi's election, aiming to bolster Ankara's influence and show that Turkey was not the only country where Islam and democracy could coexist. Last month, the Turkish leader cut short a holiday to hold an emergency meeting over the Egyptian crisis. Erdogan said his country served as a "very important reference" to Egypt on why military uprisings must not be tolerated.

This week's unrest in Egypt is expected to hit around 260 Turkish businesses operating in the Arab world's most populous country. Turkish investment in Egypt amounts to nearly $2 billion (1.5 billion euros), mostly in the textile and clothing industries.

Turkish biscuit manufacturer Yildiz Holding halted production in Egypt after a state of emergency was declared, and media reports said other businesses were likely to follow suit.

However, Turkish leaders hinted they would not break ties with the new leadership emerging in Egypt after the military uprising, despite their criticism of the army's actions.

It is most unfortunate that military is responsible for violence in Egypt and the western terrocracies have not done anything to end bloodshed and bring President Mursi back to power.

Now peace in any region depends on the behavior of USA and its EU-NATO allies

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