Egypt

Protest staged outside Qatari embassy to expel ambassador

Dozens of demonstrators protested on Tuesday outside the Qatari embassy in Cairo to voice demand of expelling the ambassador, summoning the Egyptian ambassador to Doha and severing ties between the two countries in response to its foreign policy supporting to the Muslim Brotherhood.
 
High security measures were taken around the embassy. Security cordon was imposed around protesters fearing attempts to break into the embassy.
 
Egypt already decided on Monday to withdraw its ambassador to Qatar, Mohamed Morsy, for consultation, once the constitution referendum is held for Egyptians expatriates.
 
The diplomatic rift is over a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement published early on Saturday by the official news Agency QNA, saying the terrorist attacks and constant protests in Egypt show that confrontations, security and military solutions do not lead to stability.
 
The statement added that the only solution is dialogue between the society’s constituents without exclusion, considering that  “the decision to designate popular political movements as terrorist organizations, and labeling peaceful demonstrations as terrorism, has not succeeded in stopping the peaceful protests. It was only a prelude to a shoot-to-kill policy on demonstrators.”
 
Since the 3 July ouster of Egypt's first democractically-elected, President Mohamed Morsy, his opponents have railed attacks against Qatar, who was a staunch supporter of his administration. The interim government has already banned the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera network from operating within Egypt, accusing it of biased coverage.
 
Opponents of former President Morsy, from various political groups, have spoken out viciously against Qatar, demanding retaliation for Qatar's criticism of the interim government, in wake of the expansive crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and increased restriction of human rights.
 
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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