French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian is in town (Ankara) today amid strained relations between the two countries over the YPG, Turkey's demand to open schools in France and other issues hurriyetdailynews.com/top-french-dip…
France's Macron sides with Cyprus on dispute with Turkey. “The European Union will not show weakness on this matter,” he said. reut.rs/2KiZ4Gx
Turkey's Erdogan responded to Macron: "Where has France's right to say something about the East Med come from? Mr Macron's very inexperienced in these issues. He still has not got used to this work. A lot of time will probably pass before he is." (sabah.com.tr/gundem/2019/06…)
Erdogan again hits out at Macron in a speech in Istanbul: "What business do you have there? ... We are a guarantor nation in Cyprus. Greece, UK are guarantors. What are you? Oh you may be speaking for Total... so it means you are no longer president but have begun as a lawyer."
Erdogan and Macron met during the G20 summit in Osaka. (Pictures via the Turkish presidency) 
Erdogan and Macron held talks with their foreign, finance ministers. I wonder if they discussed Cyprus. The Turkish presidency on the site where I took the photos only said they met.
Erdogan said his meeting with Macron was "very positive" . The French leader didn't ask about RTE's comments. "I told him myself, 'Look, you can't speak on the Cyprus issue. You have no link w/ Cyprus, near or far. I can speak, Greece, the UK, the EU can, but you cannot speak.'"
Turkish FM Cavusoglu today accused Macron of being a hypocrite, comparing him to a “rooster crowing while its feet are covered in dirt” after the French president criticised Turkey over human rights & claimed Ankara sought to pressure Europe’s Syria agenda anews.com.tr/world/2019/10/…
More drama in the political arena than the football arena between Turkey and France. Erdogan in today’s papers: "Macron asked me ‘What do you think about North Cyprus' opposition to your operation?’ I replied: ‘Since when do you recognise North Cyprus?’” (Colleague’s translation)
After Macron's NATO remarks, Erdogan said today: "I am talking to France's President Emmanuel Macron, and I will also say this at NATO. First of all, have your own brain death checked. These statements are suitable only to people like you who are in a state of brain death."
"You know how to show off but you cannot even properly pay for NATO. You are a novice," Erdogan said. "Believe me, Macron is very inexperienced. He doesn't know what fighting against terror is. That is why yellow vests invaded France." outlookindia.com/newsscroll/erd…
RTE's remarks come after the Turkish FM hit out at Macron
because of his criticism of Turkey's Syria offensive. "He [Macron] is already the sponsor of the terrorist organisation & constantly hosts them at the Elysee," Cavusoglu said on Thursday bbc.com/news/world-eur…
because of his criticism of Turkey's Syria offensive. "He [Macron] is already the sponsor of the terrorist organisation & constantly hosts them at the Elysee," Cavusoglu said on Thursday bbc.com/news/world-eur…
This NATO summit in London next week will be erm, interesting. And that four-way summit on Syria set to take place on the sidelines too. jordantimes.com/news/region/tu…
Paris is not happy. Via @AFP:
France to summon Turkish envoy over President Erdogan's 'insults': French presidency
France to summon Turkish envoy over President Erdogan's 'insults': French presidency
Awkward birthday for NATO news.yahoo.com/natos-birthday…
The latest by colleagues on the France-Turkey drama after Erdogan hit out at Macron’s “brain dead” NATO remarks 🍿news.yahoo.com/macron-erdogan…
(Photo via @HDNER)
(Photo via @HDNER)
Looks like Macron doesn't want the drama to end...
"When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us. And sometimes they work with ISIS proxies," Macron said at a news conference with Trump via @AFP.
He added he stood by his "brain dead" comments.
"When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us. And sometimes they work with ISIS proxies," Macron said at a news conference with Trump via @AFP.
He added he stood by his "brain dead" comments.
@AFP "We have lost cooperation with Turkey, on security and trade and migration and European Union and France," Macron said.
"How is it possible to be a member of the alliance, to work with -- to be integrated and buy things from Russia?" he asked, referring to the S-400s.
"How is it possible to be a member of the alliance, to work with -- to be integrated and buy things from Russia?" he asked, referring to the S-400s.
“France is in a general [negative] attitude. This attitude has impacted the project as well,” Turkish Defence Industries Directorate chair İsmail Demir said Monday, referring to the Eurosam missiles project. hurriyetdailynews.com/france-hampers…
More France-Turkey drama. Turkish MFA doesn't hold back after Macron says Erdogan not keeping his word re Libya after Berlin conference. "We have seen in recent days Turkish ships accompanying Syrian mercenaries arriving on Libyan territory," Macron said.
france24.com/en/20200129-ma…
france24.com/en/20200129-ma…
The MFA spokesman Hami Aksoy puts the blame for the crisis in Libya post-2011 on France, saying "it's no secret" that Paris is support military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Full statement in Turkish: mfa.gov.tr/sc_-7_-fransa-…
Confused by Macron's public position on Libya? Many of us are since acc to Reuters, "Paris has been accused of supporting Haftar politically having previously provided him with military assistance to fight Islamist militants. France denies backing Haftar."
reuters.com/article/us-lib…
reuters.com/article/us-lib…
When French missiles were found on pro-Haftar base in Libya in June 2019, the response from Paris the next month was basically: "Nah not us, those missiles were lost." rfi.fr/en/france/2019…
This is a good piece from @POLITICOEurope
France’s double game in Libya
"(France) has never officially acknowledged providing weaponry, training, intelligence and special forces assistance to Haftar."
politico.eu/article/france…
France’s double game in Libya
"(France) has never officially acknowledged providing weaponry, training, intelligence and special forces assistance to Haftar."
politico.eu/article/france…
Now a French military source says a Turkish naval vessel escorted shipment of armoured vehicles to Libya via @AFP in Paris. This comes after Le Monde's report on Syrian mercenaries s allegedly fleeing to Italy
Macron this week announced a series of steps to counter "foreign influences" on Islam in France. Taking aim at Turkey particularly, he said he would let "no country stoke separatism on French soil, whether religious, political or identity-related" via @AFP thejakartapost.com/news/2020/02/2…
"Macron's remarks on struggling with Islamic separatism are an example of crude Islamophobia," Turkey's parliament speaker Mustafa Sentop said in a tweet in response to the French leader's remarks. aa.com.tr/en/europe/turk…
After French FM warned of "Syrianisation" of Libya conflict, a French official tells AFP: "France is worried. Libya could become a new land of jihad and there are big interests at stake." barrons.com/news/france-se…
A French presidential official said there was a "risk that the crisis now collectively escapes us" due to the Russian and Turkish interventions, & added Paris feared a "worst case scenario" where Russia and Turkey make an agreement between themselves "on their own conditions".
The French hit out at Turkey's actions in Libya yesterday. Paris is angered by an "even more aggressive & insistent stance from Turkey, w/ 7 Turkish ships deployed off the Libyan coast & violations of the arms embargo," a senior presidential official said. arabnews.com/node/1689736/w…
"The Turks are behaving in an unacceptable manner and are exploiting NATO. France cannot just stand by," added the official, who asked not to be named.
I had hoped the French remarks would come up during the press conference in Istanbul with Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Iranian counterpart but it did not. In the meantime, for context
The Turkish foreign ministry said yesterday France's criticism was "unacceptable" & it was France's support for Haftar that had "increased the suffering and distress of the Libyan people". macaubusiness.com/turkey-fires-b…
"The greatest obstacle to peace and stability in Libya is the support provided by France and some other countries to the illegitimate entities, which is contrary to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions," the ministry said in a statement (English: mfa.gov.tr/no_-121_-frans…)
The temperature's rising, and rough seas await us. Looks like the latest Turkey-France row is just getting started. (Say it with the Gossip Girl voice, and it works well).
France condemns 'aggressive' act by Turkish ships in Med via @AFP
in Paris.
France condemns 'aggressive' act by Turkish ships in Med via @AFP
in Paris.
An unnamed French defence official said the incident (more details in link) was "an extremely grave matter" and "we cannot accept that an ally behaves this way, that it does this against a NATO ship, under NATO command, carrying out a NATO mission." barrons.com/news/france-co…
"Will Tr and Fr kiss and make up? Or will their relationship suffer a brain death of its own?" (You can tell I am an old lady who has been watching too much GG and Macron in lockdown)
