Paris (AFP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will not be leaving Monday night, as he had originally planned, for the France-Turkey qualifier for Euro-2020, while Ankara launched an offensive against positions Kurds in northeastern Syria.
"The presence of the minister was scheduled on his agenda, he decided not to go," said his entourage to AFP.
The French world champions receive the Turks on Monday at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, near Paris, in a sporting, security and sensitive diplomatic context.
Last Wednesday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a military operation in northern Syria against Kurdish forces, described as terrorists by Ankara but long-time Western partners in the fight against ISIS jihadists ( EI), sparked an international outcry.
France has denounced a "unilateral offensive" and suspended its arms sales to Turkey. And in Paris, several demonstrations in support of the Kurds of Syria have already taken place this weekend.
Several French politicians called for the cancellation of the meeting.
"We can not decently welcome tomorrow at the Stade de France those who salute the massacre of our Kurdish allies!", Tweeted Sunday evening a deputy, Jean-Christophe Lagarde (UDI, center-right), chairman of the study group on Kurds in the assembly.
He spoke of the military salvation achieved by Turkish footballers to celebrate their victory against Albania on Friday, in support of the soldiers engaged in the offensive in Syria.
Turkey's sports and justice ministers, as well as the ambassador to Paris, are expected to attend the match from the official stand of the Stade de France, according to a Turkish diplomatic source.
"What is happening in Syria is one thing, the match is something else, and although there may be overlaps and provocations, we will try to avoid it," he said. Turkish ambassador Ismail Hakki Musa, questioned by AFP on the possibility of tensions between pro or anti-Kurdish supporters on the sidelines of the meeting.
© 2019 AFP