French President noted on Twitter that Turkey and Greece should reopen ‘responsible dialogue’ over the East Mediterranean dispute, Ahval News reported.
Emmanuel Macron decided to tweet in Turkish to draw an attention to the opportunity of talks between Ankara and Athens. Mr Macron referenced the recent summit held in Ajaccio, Corsica, with Mediterranean leaders on September 10.
“In Ajaccio, we sent a clear message to Turkey: let’s reopen a responsible dialogue, in good faith, without naivety. This call is now also that of the European Parliament. It seems to have been heard. Let’s move on,” French President said.
The call from Macron comes a day after Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar appeared on Channel 4 News in the UK, where he likened Macron to Napoleon Bonaparte.
“He is trying to play a role in the Eastern Mediterranean by coming from thousands of kilometres away,” Akar said and added the French leader is neither powerful enough, nor tall enough to do it.
On the positive side in Turkish-Greece dispute, Mr Akar welcomed mediation efforts within the framework of NATO, but said that Greece was slowing down talks with some preconditions, while Turkey supports NATO holding meetings. In addition, Akar said that the EU was not playing a constructive role in the dialogue.
According to the pro-Turkish media, Macron had ‘backtracked’ on earlier ‘threats’ of sanctions against Turkey, and calls for the EU to show a united front to Turkey. Moreover, the top defence official’s suggested that “Macron is trying to have a role in the Eastern Mediterranean to cover his problems in France.”
While French President calls for dialogue over escalating tensions in Eastern Mediterranean, Akar’s statements to Channel 4 are a notable rise in rhetoric against France from Turkey as the two nations exchange warnings over Turkey’s attempts to gain greater maritime territory in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Akar said Macron was “pouring fuel onto the problems and this is why the issue is being prolonged”.
