John Baird criticizes Turkish PM's comments on Egypt

• Sun News
• 5:34 pm, August 20th, 2013

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Credits: REUTERS/Chris Wattie

JESSICA HUME | QMI AGENCY

 

OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird took to social media Tuesday to criticize the Turkish prime minister for his take on the situation in Egypt.

On Tuesday, Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan said he believed Israel was behind the Egyptian military's deposition of ousted president Mohamed Mursi.

"What do they say in Egypt? Democracy is not the ballot box. What is behind it? Israel," Erdogan said.

Turkey is a NATO ally of Canada's.

Baird, whose unequivocal support for Israel and black-and-white approach to foreign policy has earned him criticism in the past, urged Erdogan over Twitter to take his comments back.

"I hope the Turkish prime minister does the right thing and retracts these hurtful and inflammatory remarks."

The White House also condemned Erdogan's comments.

"Suggesting that Israel is somehow responsible for recent events in Egypt is offensive, unsubstantiated and wrong," a White House spokesman said.

Erdogan's own party has deep Islamist roots, and he has shown consistent support for the Muslim Brotherhood.