Turkish top diplomat blasts United Arab Emirates for spreading chaos in Middle East

Turkey accused the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday of bringing chaos to the Middle East through its interventions in Libya and Yemen, allegations which are likely to inflame tensions between the regional rivals.

Çavuşoğlu told Turkish broadcaster Akit TV that the United Arab Emirates, along with Egypt and other countries he did not name, were "trying to destabilise the whole region", but he singled out Abu Dhabi for particular criticism.

"If you are asking who is destabilising this region, who is bringing chaos, then we would say Abu Dhabi without any hesitation," he said. "It is a reality that they are the force that unsettled Libya and destroyed Yemen."

Ties between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have been strained by Ankara's support for Qatar after four Arab countries including the UAE imposed sanctions on Doha in 2017 over its alleged support for the militants, which Qatar denies.

The UAE sees itself as a bulwark against political forms of Islam, and views Turkey's Islamist-rooted AK Party as a supporter of groups like the Muslim Brotherhood which it opposes.

The United Arab Emirates was also a leading power in an alliance which intervened in Yemen five years ago against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. It reduced its presence in Yemen last year but remains a member of that alliance.

Çavuşoğlu also accused the UAE of supporting the Al Shabab militants in Somalia, where Turkey has a military base and is training Somali troops.

He made his comments after the foreign ministry in Ankara condemned Monday's statement by the five countries, and accused France of "attempting to be the patron of this axis of malice".