Egypt condemns Tunisian President statements at UN General Assembly

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected and condemned statements made by Tunisian President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki during a speech delivered to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

In a statement released on Thursday night, the ministry alleged Marzouki had called on Egyptian authorities to release “what he described as political prisoners”. It added that all statements made by Marzouki to the General Assembly regarding Egypt are not true. It challenges the will of the Egyptian people who took to the streets in millions on 30 June calling for a true democratic state which excludes no one, the statement read.

“We hope the same destiny for our brothers in Tunisia,” the statement read. “Some people remain intent on forcing a certain model which fails to reflect the true nature of the pious Tunisian society.”

During his address to the General Assembly, Marzouki called on Egyptian authorities to release ousted President Mohamed Morsi, suggesting that his release will “help end the political tensions and stop the violence”. He also urged all parties to return to dialogue.

Marzouki used Egypt as an example to prove that creating democracy and civil institutions was “replete with difficulties”.

“[Tunisia] was the first country to experience the ‘Arab Spring’,” Marzouki told the General Assembly. “Now, in some countries, what is happening suggests that the dream is turning into a nightmare.”

The Tunisian president stated that though it’s not possible to achieve the uprisings’ entire agendas overnight, states were on “a road to brighter horizons” regardless of the time it would take them to fully control the revolutions. Addressing the possibility of the failure of the “Arab Spring”, Marzouki called on the international community to “insist on supporting the current path”, describing it as its duty.

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