Turkey ‘alone but proud’ in stance on Egypt coup: Deputy PM

ANKARA

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Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is “sad but proud” to see that it is the alone in the world in taking a clear attitude against the coup in Egypt.

“Considering our previous statements embracing all democratic values, we are sad to see that we are alone. Turkey is the only country, and the AK Parti is the only government [in its stance against the coup in Egypt], but we are also proud to see that we are the only [government] who voices the truth,” Arınç told reporters in Ankara today after a Cabinet meeting. 

He said the AKP was determined to keep its principles and moral standing on the issue. “We strongly condemn a mentality that topples a legitimate government and a president, and points a gun at its own people,” he said.

Arınç also denied rumors that Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi would be coming to Turkey, but added that he would be welcomed if such a demand came. 

The deputy prime minister also touched on the issue of Turks in Egypt, saying there were 7,098 Turkish citizens in Egypt according to official records and adding that this number might be more considering that some citizens might not have informed the Turkish Embassy in Egypt about their visit.

Some 5,500 of these people are in Cairo, and around 400 Turkish students are currently in the country to learn Arabic.


All measures are being taken for the possibility that the departure of Turkish citizens in Egypt becomes necessary, said Arınç.

He said the government was carrying out intense diplomacy, and that the prime minister and the foreign minister would continue holding talks with their counterparts in the U.S., the EU, the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Arınç said their calls to re-instate Morsi as president, release all detainees, and hold immediate elections would continue. 

Turkey has found itself alone in strongly condemning the Egyptian army’s ouster of Morsi as a coup d’état and calling on the Egyptian military to restore the democratically elected government with full power. 

Led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Ankara’s diplomatic campaign includes the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and prominent Arab countries, such as Qatar. 

Erdoğan called Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the U.N. late on July 6, following Davutoğlu’s intense phone diplomacy with his American and Qatari counterparts, John Kerry and Khalid al-Atiyya, respectively, as well as a number of other regional and European politicians over the weekend.