'Erdogan: Israel must not intervene in Egypt's matters'

Turkish PM asks US, Greece to get involved if Israel is "inclined to meddle;" Egyptian FM tells Turkey to mind its own business.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Turkey PM Erdogan 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Turkey PM Erdogan 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that "Israel must under no circumstance interfere" in what is happening in Egypt, Turkish daily Huriyyet reported.
Speaking to a group of reporters at the opening of a "friendship bridge" between Turkey and Syria, Erdogan said he had made this point to US President Barack Obama and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, adding that they should intervene to stop Israel should it be "inclined to meddle in Egypt in a last-ditch effort to try and turn the tide against the anti-Mubarak demonstrators," Huriyyet reported.
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The Turkish paper analyzed Erdogan's statement, saying that it indicates that Israel and Greece "are likely to cozy up to each other in an effort to give the appearance that they are standing together against Turkey."
Also on Tuesday, Egypt sent an official letter of protest to Turkey on Tuesday about Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments on the protests in Egypt.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit wrote to his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu that Egypt reject's Erdogan's call for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign.
The letter explained that Egypt sees these words as intervention in internal matters and incitement.
Gheit also called on Turkey not to publish more statements that can harm the relations between the two countries.
Last week, Gheit lamented Iran's comments on the current situation in Egypt, saying that the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khaminei is "distracting the Iranian people's attention by hiding behind what is happening in Egypt."
Click here for full Jpost coverage of unrest in Egypt
Click here for full Jpost coverage of unrest in Egypt