Ankara is leaving no stone unturned in a global diplomacy campaign as it seeks a way to reinstall ousted Mohammed Morsi as Egyptian president
Disappointed with the hesitant approach of its allies in the Western and Arab world in condemning the coup in Egypt, Turkey is continuing its efforts to push the international community to re-instate Mohammed Morsi as president of Egypt.
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.
“Our message is clear: Call this a coup,” a senior Foreign Ministry official told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday. “Military coups are unacceptable, in Egypt or elsewhere. Undoing the coup and re-instating the toppled government should be the priorities of countries with a democratic understanding.”
Qatar, Saudi disappoint Turkey
Turkey’s deepest disappointment came from its prominent Arab allies, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which were the frontrunners in congratulating the new transitional leadership and the army that conducted the coup.
“There is a serious disappointment with regard to their approach. We have made clear to them that this process in Egypt will be an important test for the Arab Spring. We hope they will revise their position and will adopt a similar line with ours,” the official said.
Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been in close cooperation in efforts to topple the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria since mid-2011, in the latest chain of the Arab Spring movement. It remains unclear how developments in Egypt will affect ongoing international efforts to push a defiant al-Assad to agree to a political transition.