On the sidelines of the NATO summit, a Macron-Erdogan meeting after months of tension
Turkish President and French President.
(Illustrative montage) AFP - ADEM ALTAN, LUDOVIC MARIN
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Emmanuel Macron spoke with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday morning.
A face to face during which the two heads of state signaled their desire to move forward together on certain issues such as Syria and Libya, according to the Elysee.
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At the end of an
interview "
longer than expected
"
(45 minutes) and which was "
nourished and substantial
", according to the words of the French presidency, Emmanuel Macron recalled his desire for
"strategic clarification between allies on values, principles and rules within NATO
”.
This meeting between the two French and Turkish presidents comes after nearly two years of
tensions between the two countries
.
Tensions linked to subjects as diverse as the financing of Islam in France (in the case of the
future great mosque in Strasbourg
for example) or the conflict in the eastern Mediterranean, Paris supporting Athens.
However, still according to the Elysee, the two heads of state have agreed on one thing: they want to move forward together the Syrian and Libyan issues.
A "
so-called ally"
This discussion on the sidelines
of the NATO summit
was also an opportunity for the French president to “
clarify Islam,
” said the Elysee. The Turkish president had effectively qualified France as Islamophobic and castigated the bill "
reinforcing respect for the principles of the Republic
", which intends to fight against separatism. We remember that last October, France
recalled its ambassador to Turkey
, a rare diplomatic gesture.
The French presidency denounced the remarks deemed "
unacceptable
" by the Turkish president who had questioned "
the mental health
" of Emmanuel Macron because of his attitude towards Muslims, but also noted "
the absence of messages of condolence and support of Ankara after the assassination of Samuel Paty
”, a week after the beheading of this teacher by an Islamist near Paris.
Emmanuel Macron therefore insisted on the fact "
that France respected Islam and Muslims
" and recalled that the values of the Republic "
should be respected and should not be exploited
".
Isolated on the international scene, the Turkish head of state is stepping up meetings with heads of state and government on Monday.
The most complicated without doubt the one with
Joe Biden
.
The American president is indeed very severe with Erdogan's Turkey.
He called the Turkish president an “
autocrat
”.
Its Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs speaks of a "
so-called ally
" when referring to Ankara.
► To read also: NATO summit: time for transatlantic reunion
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France
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Emmanuel Macron
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