Sofagate in Ankara: after diplomatic quack, Turkey blames the EU
On the left, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen did not have a seat like Charles Michel and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
© TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP
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2 min
Did Turkey exploit a war of egos between Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen or was it content to respect the demands of the European Union.
In any case, in the face of the diplomatic storm that has arisen, Ankara pleads its good faith.
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"
Unfair accusations
," Turkey responds to Europeans after a shower of angry messages from MEPs who are indignant
at the treatment reserved for Ursula von der Leyen
.
In France, there was a rare unanimity of the political class on the subject which, from left to right, evokes a "
protocol affront
", "
shocking
" or "
scandalous
"
facts
.
The Turkish Foreign Minister insists: “
The requests of the European Union have been respected.
The seating arrangements made at their request
”.
In Brussels, the rivalry between the president of the committee and the president of the European Council is well known.
Charles Michel, number 1 in the protocol order, would not appreciate this first woman president of the Commission who wants to intervene in the field of foreign affairs.
Human rights in Turkey take a back seat
This protocol quack has in any case now taken precedence over the issues of the visit, in particular the fate of the refugees and this press conference where European leaders formulated a long list of expectations on human rights in Turkey. .
The Turkish government was not mistaken and its only official response today boils down to this development on the ground of the protocol.
►Also listen: Debate of the day - Europe-Turkey: is reconciliation possible
?
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Turkey
European Union
Ursula von der Leyen
Recep Tayyip Erdogan