Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly at the United Nations in New York on September 24, 2014.

The UAE denounced on Thursday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stinging criticism of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi during an address at the U.N. General Assembly.

The UAE Foreign Ministry slammed Erdogan’s statement as “irresponsible and blatant interference in the internal affairs” of Egypt.

“We were surprised by the statement of President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, regarding the Arab Republic of Egypt and his exploitation of the of the U.N. platform” to attack Egypt, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency WAM.

The statement urged Erdogan to “stop abuse against the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people.”

After world leaders gathered at the United Nations, Erdogan delivered a speech which featured stinging criticism of Sisi’s rise and what he called inaction after Mohammad Mursi’s overthrow.

“Again, those objecting (to) the murders in Iraq, Syria and the murder of democracy in Egypt are subjected to certain unfair and groundless accusations and almost immediately accused of supporting terrorism,” said Erdogan.

“The United Nations as well as the democratic countries have done nothing but watch the events such as overthrowing the elected president in Egypt and the killings of thousands of innocent people who want to defend their choice. And the person who carried out this coup is being legitimized.”

In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry dismissed Erdogan’s comments on Sisi.

“There is no doubt that the fabrication of such lies and fabrications are not something strange that comes from the Turkish President, who is keen to provoke chaos to sow divisions in the Middle East region through its support for groups and terrorist organizations,” the foreign ministry said.

“Whether political support or funding or accommodation in order to harm the interests of the peoples of the region to achieve personal ambitions for the Turkish president and revive illusions of the past.”

Erdogan’s comments prompted Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri to cancel a meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly with his Turkish counterpart, according to the statement.

 
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