Sadat suspicious of Erdo?an’s motives

Talaat Sadat, the leader of Egypt's National Party, has said that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) does not intend to run Egypt. He gained this assurance from a recent discussion with Egypt’s de factor leader and commander of the SCAF, Mohamed Tantawi. He claims to have told Tantawi that the Egyptian people are dissatisfied with the Council’s performance because they feel that he does not support the Muslim Brotherhood. Tantawi responded that the Council’s mission is to protect Egypt and its people, while political matters, including the issue of the Brotherhood, are in the hands of Egypt’s Prime Minister, Essam Sharaf and his government. Sadat and Tantawi also discussed wider political issues, such as the corruption trials, the role of Salafist movements in Egypt and the fears of Egypt’s Copts. Sadat criticised Erdo?an’s visit to Egypt, stating that Egypt does not need a mediator to foster relations between Egypt and its Western counterparts. He is suspicious of Erdo?an’s motives, and claims that the decision to expel the Israel Ambassador to Ankara was politically opportunistic and aimed at garnering popularity among the Egyptian people. Sadat claimed that Israeli tourists in Turkey are treated better than Egyptian tourists, providing further evidence that the Israeli ambassador’s expulsion was just for show. Sadat said that Saudi Arabia is Egypt’s most prominent ally.