The United States President and Turkish Prime Minister discussed Egypt via telephone on Wednesday. The pair also discussed developments in the Syrian crisis.
The White House said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan requested the phone call with President Obama. Both “expressed concern about the situation in Egypt and a shared commitment to support a democratic and inclusive way forward.”
During their conversation, Obama and Erdoğan also discussed “the danger of foreign extremists in Syria.” The pair “agreed on the importance of supporting a unified and inclusive Syrian opposition.”
Erdoğan has been a staunch supporter of deposed President Mohamed Morsi both before and after his ouster. In July the Turkish Prime Minister said, “my president in Egypt is Morsi because he was elected by the people.” He condemned Morsi’s removal and has been consistently vocal on the issue.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Turkey on its stance towards Egypt describing comments made by some Turkish officials as “a transgression of diplomatic norms and protocols.”
Interim President Adly Mansour also sent a message of friendship and cooperation to Turkish President Abdullah Gül in July.
