CAIRO

Interior Ministry spokesman Hani Abdel-Latif on Thursday denied rumors that his ministry had made it necessary for people wanting to travel to Turkey to obtain prior approval from security agencies.

"There is no credence to rumors that Egyptian youths are being prevented from travelling to either Turkey or any other country," Abdel-Latif told The Anadolu Agency by phone.

"There is no need for youths to get prior approval from security agencies before travelling to these states," Abdel-Latif added.

Rumor had it on Thursday that the Interior Ministry had prevented Egyptian males between 18 and 40 years of age from travelling to a handful of states, including Turkey, without prior approval from security agencies.

Relations between Egypt and Turkey deteriorated severely after the ouster by the army of elected president Mohamed Morsi in July of last year, with both countries downgrading their respective diplomatic representation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists on calling Morsi's ouster a "military coup."

Egypt counters by saying that the Turkish president does not have the right to interfere in Egyptian affairs, accusing him of ignoring "the will of the Egyptian people," which was manifested in last year's June 30 protests that culminated in Morsi's ouster.

Abdel-Latif said his ministry could not prevent Egyptian youths from travelling to Turkey or other countries, such as Lebanon, because most of them did so for tourism, business or education.

"We cannot prevent people from travelling," Abdel-Latif said.

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