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Ambassador shown the door

November 23, 2013

Turkey's ambassador to Egypt has been expelled in response to comments from Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan that Cairo deemed "provocative and interfering." Erdogan has criticized the ouster of Egyptian President Morsi.

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Turkish Ambassador in Cairo Huseyin Avni Botsali
Image: picture alliance/AA

Egypt's move to expel Turkey's ambassador in Cairo, Hussein Awni Botsala, on Saturday can be interpreted as a rejection of Ankara's support of toppled Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has repeatedly criticized the move to depose Morsi as well as the military's actions against Morsi's supporters. That includes a crackdown on pro-Morsi demonstrators in August that left hundreds dead.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday that Turkey had attempted to "influence public opinion against public interests [and] supported meetings of organizations that seek to create instability in the country."

Egypt also said it was downgrading its diplomatic relationship with Turkey to the level of charge d'affaires.

mz/ccp (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)

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A poster depicting young Egypian activist Gaber Salah (known as Jika), killed in 2011 (EPA/AL-MASRY AL-YOUM)

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