Erdogan: Will not meet Sisi until inmates are released

By Hatice Senses Kurukiz and Filiz Kinil</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will never meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi unless the latter releases prisoners. </p> <p>“I will never meet with such a person. First of all, he [al-Sisi] needs to release all prisoners with a general amnesty. As long as he does not release those people, we cannot meet with al-Sisi,” Erdogan said in a televised interview on late Saturday.</p> <p>The Turkish president said that there was an “authoritarian, totalitarian” regime in Egypt. “I am responding to those who are asking me why I am not meeting with al-Sisi,” he added.</p> <p>Erdogan asked: “Why our relations with Egypt were cut? Or why we, as high-level leaders, are not talking?” </p> <p>“This should be checked on,” he said.</p> <p>Noting that he likes to speak clearly, Erdogan said that people who claimed that they are against coup plotters are greeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi –who ousted Mohammed Morsi — on red carpets and did not take up a position against al-Sisi. </p> <p>“These countries were behind the July 15 coup attempt. Morsi received 52 percent of the votes, and he was ousted,” he said.</p> <p>“Those who are in contact with al-Sisi should know this that they will be evaluated in the history in a different way,” he added. </p> <p>Erdogan described the people of Egypt as &quot;our dearest friends&quot; and underlined that al-Sisi will never be. </p> <p>“At the moment, Morsi is still in prison along with his friends. For years, I have always said that al Sisi is a coup plotter […] Unfortunately, the Western countries are still determined to support coup plotters,” he said. </p> <p>“This is a crime against humanity,” Erdogan said, adding: “When you look at the figures, at least 42 people were executed since Al-Sisi took power and lately nine young people were executed.”</p> <p>The Turkish president said that the exactions were “unacceptable” for his country. “The Amnesty International called for stopping executions. But did they get any result? They did not,” he added.</p> <p>“Nine young people were executed. Where is the West? Do you hear the voice of the West?” Erdogan questioned.</p> <p>Erdogan remarks came after the Egyptian authorities executed nine people on Wednesday for alleged involvement in the 2015 assassination of Attorney-General Hisham Barakat.</p> <p>Egypt was roiled by turmoil when the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.