Erdogan: Will not meet Sisi until inmates are released

By Hatice Senses Kurukiz and Filiz Kinil

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will never meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi unless the latter releases prisoners.

“I will never meet with such a person. First of all, he [al-Sisi] needs to release all prisoners with a general amnesty. As long as he does not release those people, we cannot meet with al-Sisi,” Erdogan said in a televised interview on late Saturday.

The Turkish president said that there was an “authoritarian, totalitarian” regime in Egypt. “I am responding to those who are asking me why I am not meeting with al-Sisi,” he added.

Erdogan asked: “Why our relations with Egypt were cut? Or why we, as high-level leaders, are not talking?”

“This should be checked on,” he said.

Noting that he likes to speak clearly, Erdogan said that people who claimed that they are against coup plotters are greeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi --who ousted Mohammed Morsi -- on red carpets and did not take up a position against al-Sisi.

“These countries were behind the July 15 coup attempt. Morsi received 52 percent of the votes, and he was ousted,” he said.

“Those who are in contact with al-Sisi should know this that they will be evaluated in the history in a different way,” he added.

Erdogan described the people of Egypt as "our dearest friends" and underlined that al-Sisi will never be.

“At the moment, Morsi is still in prison along with his friends. For years, I have always said that al Sisi is a coup plotter [...] Unfortunately, the Western countries are still determined to support coup plotters,” he said.

“This is a crime against humanity,” Erdogan said, adding: “When you look at the figures, at least 42 people were executed since Al-Sisi took power and lately nine young people were executed.”

The Turkish president said that the exactions were “unacceptable” for his country. “The Amnesty International called for stopping executions. But did they get any result? They did not,” he added.

“Nine young people were executed. Where is the West? Do you hear the voice of the West?” Erdogan questioned.

Erdogan remarks came after the Egyptian authorities executed nine people on Wednesday for alleged involvement in the 2015 assassination of Attorney-General Hisham Barakat.

Egypt was roiled by turmoil when the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.