Egypt’s Sisi: No reason for feud with Turkish people

By Rabia al-Sokkary

CAIRO, Egypt

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said there is no reason for feud between the Egyptian and Turkish people.

“There is no reason for animosity,” al-Sisi said in statements to Egypt’s three pro-government newspapers Sunday.

“We give them [Turkey] the time to reconsider their position,” he said.

Egyptian-Turkish relations deteriorated after the Egyptian army led by al-Sisi ousted Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

Turkey has been critical of Morsi’s ouster and has termed his overthrow as a military coup.

Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey wants to repair its ties with Egypt.

"We think we need to develop economic and cultural ties with Egypt as countries that use the two sides of the Mediterranean," Yildirim told reporters.