Senior AKP official dismissed after saying 'UAE surrendered to us'

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After Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) resumed diplomatic relations, MP Cahit Özkan, the parliamentary group deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), had said, "The United Arab Emirates surrendered when it saw it could not make Turkey bow and it could not prevent Turkey's independence," during a live TV interview.

AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said on Twitter that his statements "do not reflect our party's views."

Özkan was dismissed as the party's parliamentary group deputy chair yesterday (May 19). He will be replaced with MP Yılmaz Tunç, the head of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitution. And MP Abdullah Güler will replace Tunç as the head of the committee, according to reports in the media.

AKP-UAE tensions

The relations between Turkey and the UAE were strained after the wave of uprisings in Arab countries, dubbed as the "Arab Spring" in the mainstream media.

While the UAE took a hars stance against the "political Islamist" forces, especially the Muslim Bortherhood movements in Syria and Egypt, the Erdoğan administration championed the Bortherhood. Ankara and Abu Dhabi supported opposing parties in the coup in Egypt, the Yemen war, the Syrian war, and the Libyan war.

While the Erdoğan administration alleged that the UAE supported the July 2016 coup attempt and established close relationships with the Fetullah Gülen group, diplomatic and trade commercial relations between the two countries had declined to the lowest level.

The UAE granted a residence permit to Sedat Peker, who last year began to reveal the "dirt file" of Erdoğan, while many countries closed their doors to him.

Investments

Last August, Erdoğan said during a live TV broadcast that the relations between Turkey and the UAE had been improved and added, "They have very serious investment targets and plans. I believe that the United Arab Emirates will make serious investments in our country in a short time."

The crown prince of the UAE visited Turkey to meet Erdoğan in late November. (AEK/VK)