Egypt Summons Syrian Envoy Over Protests

The demonstrators in Damascus have criticised the Egyptian government`s cooperation with Israel in the blockade of Gaza.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called in Syrian ambassador Youssef Ahmed on Tuesday to complain about recent demonstrations outside the Egyptian embassy in Damascus, a senior official said.

"The Syrian ambassador was summoned to express Egypt's concern at the raucous demonstrations which were organised around the premises of the Egyptian embassy in Damascus over the past two days," the official told reporters.

"The Syrian ambassador promised to convey this message to his government," added the official, Assistant Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Salaheddin.

The demonstrators in Damascus have criticised the Egyptian government's cooperation with Israel in the blockade of Gaza, which is run by the Islamist movement Hamas. Hamas and the Syrian government are allies and Hamas's leadership in exile is based in the Syrian capital.

Egypt says the main motive for its policy on Gaza is to prevent the Israelis from escaping responsibility for the impoverished coastal strip.