Which side is the winner of the growing diplomatic row between Egypt and Turkey? While bilateral relations become worse, the perception among international observers is the same: It is yet another severe blow to the image of Turkey in Egypt, and its regional policy based on “zero problems.”

OnSaturday, Nov. 23, Egypt rather unexpectedly declared the ambassador of Turkey, Huseyin Avni Botsali, persona non grata and asked him to leave immediately. Ankara reciprocated swiftly by summoning the Egyptian charge d’affaires, and declaring the ambassador (who had already left the country) “undesirable.”

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said the decision was taken because of Ankara's continued "interference" in Egyptian affairs. It said it will scale back its diplomatic relations with Turkey to the level of charge d'affaires. This is a new phase in the deteriorating relations between the two countries since August, when ambassadors were mutually recalled after a massacre of demonstrators protesting the July 3 coup that removed President Mohammed Morsi from office. The Turkish ambassador later returned, but Egypt refused to send its envoy back to Ankara.

"We are saddened by this," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "But responsibility before history belongs to Egypt's temporary administration, which came to power under the extraordinary circumstances of the July 3 coup."