Morsi cuts Egypt’s Syria ties, condemns Hezbollah
Egyptian president says Cairo decided to break off relations with Syria, adds Hezbollah must leave Syria and urges world powers to enforce no-fly zone
Reuters
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said he had cut all diplomatic ties with Damascus on Saturday and demanded Hezbollah leave Syria, pitching most populous Arab state more firmly against President Bashar Assad.
Addressing a gathering of Sunni Muslim clerics in Cairo, the Islamist head of state said: „We decided today to entirely break off relations with Syria and with the current Syrian regime.”
Related stories:
- Egypt’s Morsi backs calls for Assad war crimes trial
- Report: US to supply Syrian rebels with munitions
- Former UN monitor calls for Syria no-flight zone
He also warned Assad’s allies in the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite militia to pull back from fighting in Syria: „We stand against Hezbollah in its aggression against the Syrian people,” Morsi said. „Hezbollah must leave Syria – these are serious words. There is no space or place for Hezbollah in Syria.”
Mohamed Morsi urged world powers not to hesitate to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria.
The Islamist head of state had previously appeared somewhat less confrontational toward President Bashar al-Assad than Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
But in a speech to Sunni Muslim clerics in Cairo he said he had cut all ties to Damascus and demanded Lebanon’s Shi’ite Hezbollah movement quit Syria.
