Egypt has denounced a poll by Russia's state-funded RT network asking readers whether a disputed Red Sea border territory belongs to Egypt or Sudan.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a May 12 statement that the poll published on RT's website a day earlier constituted "unacceptable conduct" and that it had demanded an explanation from Russian officials.
"The Foreign Ministry contacted the Russian side on the morning of Saturday May 12th to express its strong condemnation of the opinion poll conducted by the Russian government-affiliated channel, and demanded an urgent explanation for this unacceptable conduct," ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in the statement.
Zeid said that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry had canceled an interview he had planned to give to RT on May 12.
Egypt controls the Halayeb triangle, but Sudan has claimed the territory since 1958. The dispute has been a source of tension between the two nations for years.
Egypt's State Information Service, the agency overseeing foreign media, said in a statement that it had summoned RT representatives over the poll, which it said undermines Egypt's sovereignty.
The agency said later on May 12 that the online poll had been removed.
