Erdogan hopes to see France "get rid" of Macron "as soon as possible"

Turkish President Erdogan participated in Friday prayers in the former Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul transformed into a mosque in July, December 4.

via REUTERS - PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFICE

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Turkish Head of State Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday expressed the hope that France will "get rid of President Emmanuel Macron as soon as possible", amid strong tensions between the two countries over many issues.

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“

Macron is a problem for France.

With Macron, France is going through a very dangerous period.

I hope that France will get rid of the Macron problem as soon as possible,

 ”the Turkish president told reporters in Istanbul after taking part in Friday prayers in the former Saint Sophia cathedral turned into a mosque in July .

“

Otherwise, they

(the French)

will not end with the yellow vests, which could become red vests,

 ” he added, referring to the protest movement at the end of 2018 in France.

Relations between Turkey and France have gradually deteriorated since last year, due in particular to disagreements over Syria, Libya, the eastern Mediterranean and more recently the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.

But tensions were heightened in October when Mr. Erdogan questioned 

 Emmanuel Macron's "

sanity

", accusing him of leading a " 

campaign of hatred

 " against Islam for defending the right to caricature the prophet. Muhammad and for his speech against Islamist "separatism" in France.

President Erdogan said on Friday that France, which co-chairs the so-called Minsk group tasked with promoting a settlement to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, had "lost its role of mediator" after the Senate and the National Assembly French have adopted resolutions favorable to the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh.

France has been agitating for several weeks the threat of European Union sanctions against Turkey, in particular because of the gas exploration work carried out by Ankara in the eastern Mediterranean in maritime areas disputed with Greece and Cyprus.

The European Union on Friday condemned the continuation of “unilateral acts” and “hostile rhetoric” on the part of Turkey, but it remains divided on how to sanction such behavior at the European summit on December 10.

The EU sent an opening proposal to Ankara in October, accompanied by a threat of sanctions if Turkey did not stop its actions already condemned by the EU.

But several member states, including Germany, are opposed to the adoption of sanctions, according to European officials.

(With Afp)

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• Turkey

• Emmanuel Macron

• Recep Tayyip Erdogan