Egypt, Turkey expel ambassadors

CAIRO: Egypt said yesterday it was expelling Turkey’s ambassador and accused Ankara of backing organisations bent on undermining the country — an apparent reference to the Muslim Brotherhood of ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Mursi.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, himself a supporter of an Islamist-led government forced from power by generals in 1997, issued a blunt rebuff to Egypt’s army-backed rulers, declaring on live television: “I will never respect those who come to power through military coups.”
He spoke shortly after Turkey had retaliated to the Egyptian move by declaring the Egyptian ambassador, currently out of the country, persona non grata.
Egyptian foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty made no specific allegations against Turkey in announcing the ambassador’s expulsion, but said: “(Ankara is) ... attempting to influence public opinion against Egyptian interests, supported meetings of organisations that seek to create instability in the country.”
Turkey has emerged as one of the fiercest international critics of Mursi’s removal, calling it an “unacceptable coup” by the army. Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, which has been staging protests calling for his reinstatement, has close ties with Erdogan’s AK Party.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul speaking on state-run TRT television before Erdogan, was more measured in his remarks.
“I hope our relations will again get back on track,” he said.
Both countries will remain represented in each other’s capitals by embassies headed by a charge d’affaires, effectively a number two. Both had recalled their ambassadors in August for consultation after Egyptian security forces stormed into pro-Mursi camps on August 14, killing hundreds.
In some of the worst civilian violence in decades, security forces crushed protests by Mursi’s supporters. 
Militant Islamists, who have been attacking Egyptian forces in the Sinai peninsula, stepped up their assaults in or near major cities.
Relations deteriorated between Egypt and countries that criticised Mursi’s ouster and the government crackdown on the Brotherhood where thousands have been arrested.
REUTERS