Egypt rejects Qatari mediation to reconcile with Brotherhood

Egypt has rejected Qatari mediation to reconcile with the Muslim Brotherhood and considered statements of the Qatari foreign minister on the matter as an “unacceptable interference in Egyptian internal affairs.”

In a recent interview, Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah said Doha does not regard the Muslim Brotherhood as a "terrorist organization" as the Egyptian authorities do, adding: "All of the parties in Egypt need to meet half-way," he said. "All we hope for is that all of the Egyptians unite.”

Attiyah also expressed Doha’s willingness to mediate between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian government, if the government wishes.

Egypt's foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid slammed Attiyah’s statements and voiced Egypt’s rejection of “foreign interferences in its internal affairs” and said Attiyah’s statements are unacceptable as they undermine the provisions of the Egyptian judiciary and the decisions of the Egyptian government.

Abu Zeid said the Qatari official’s statements also undermine the Egyptian people’s endorsement of the Brotherhood as “a terrorist organization,” adding it’s not possible to negotiate or accept foreign mediation for dialogue with the Brotherhood.

Attiyah also said Cairo is willing to play the role of the mediator between the Egyptian regime and the Muslim Brotherhood.

This article is available in Arabic.