Egypt stops UN condemnation of Turkey coup

  • 17/07/2016
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (AAP)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (AAP)

The United Nations Security Council failed to condemn the violence and unrest in Turkey after Egypt objected to a statement that called on all parties to "respect the democratically elected government of Turkey", diplomats say.

The US-drafted statement also expressed grave concern over the situation in Turkey, urged the parties to show restraint, avoid any violence or bloodshed, and called for an urgent end to the crisis and return to rule of law.

Statements by the 15-member Security council have to be agreed by consensus.

Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Egypt argued that the UN Security Council was not in a position to determine whether a government had been democratically elected.

Egypt's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Turkish forces loyal to President Tayyip Erdogan largely crushed an attempted military coup on Saturday (local time) after crowds answered his call to take to the streets in support of the government and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is a former general who overthrew elected President Mohamed Mursi, of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013 after mass protests against Mursi.

Turkey provided support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Reuters