Egypt slams Erdogan statement as "irresponsible"

 Egypt on Friday condemned the statements of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "irresponsible" and part of Turkey's double-standard policy.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid expressed discontent over Erdogan's excessive statements against the Egyptian president in a statement.

On Thursday, Erdogan has accused during an interview with the Qatari news channel Aljazeera the Egyptian regime of providing support to the Gulen movement, which has been accused of orchestrating the failed coup in Turkey in July.

"We are supporting the Egyptian people, but we are against coup governments and the violation of freedoms, and we will stand with the Egyptian people in their fight for democracy," the Turkish president added.

The foreign ministry statement deemed the Turkish remarks as continuation to the blundering and double standards approach in the past years against Egypt.

Abu Zeid expressed his surprise when the Turkish president has considered himself as "the guardian of democracy and freedoms at a time when his government is arresting hundreds of university professors, media people and lawmakers, shutting down dozens of newspapers and sacking army officers, judges and employees under the pretext of involvement in a failed coup attempt."

Erdogan's statement is an obvious incitement that aims at shaking Egypt's stability, Abu Zeid added.

The Turkish president's interview was aired on Thursday, one day before a protest against the Egyptian government that have been called upon by the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

"This timing in particular is meant to destabilize Egypt," Abu Zeid said.

The Egyptian Turkish ties have been strained after the military-led ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, in response to massive protest against his rule.

The two sides have cut their diplomatic ties, and the ambassadors were deported. Egypt has been accusing Turkey of intervention in domestic affairs and providing a safe sanctuary to members of the banned brotherhood group.