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Erdogan accuses Macron of "colonialism" and "spectacle" in Lebanon

2020-08-13T10:48:58.749Z


The Turkish head of state criticized the high-profile trip by the French president to Beirut last week.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday (August 13th) accused his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron of “ colonial ” aims in Lebanon and described his recent visit to Beirut as a “ spectacle ”, in a context of growing tensions between Ankara and Paris. To read also: Brice Couturier: "The Beirut that I knew and loved" “ What Macron and company want is to restore colonial order (in Leba...


Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday (August 13th) accused his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron of “ colonialaims in Lebanon and described his recent visit to Beirut as a “ spectacle ”, in a context of growing tensions between Ankara and Paris.

To read also: Brice Couturier: "The Beirut that I knew and loved"

What Macron and company want is to restore colonial order (in Lebanon), ” Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. " We are not chasing photos or performing in front of the cameras that interests us ," he added.

The Turkish head of state was referring to Emmanuel Macron's high-profile trip to Beirut last week, after an explosion which, on August 4, left 171 dead and more than 6,500 injured and devastated the Lebanese capital.

Emmanuel Macron on August 6 in the streets of Beirut POOL / REUTERS

While the Turkish president did not personally visit Beirut, he dispatched his vice president and chief diplomat there last week. Lebanon was under French mandate from 1920 until its independence in 1943. Before that, it was under Ottoman rule for four centuries. French Minister of the Armies Florence Parly is expected this Thursday in Beirut where the Lebanese Parliament must ratify the state of emergency.

France accused of "seeking war"

Erdogan's virulent attacks come against a backdrop of growing tensions between Turkey and France, linked in particular to divergent interests in Libya and the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish searches for hydrocarbons in this maritime area have aroused the wrath of Greece and the European Union.

Supporting Athens, Paris denounced Ankara's unilateralactions and announced Thursday that it had temporarily strengthened its Eastern Mediterranean military presence with the deployment of two planes and two warships. The pro-government Turkish press greeted the news with indignation, accusing France of " overstepping the line " and " seeking war ".

Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not directly comment on the French decision on Thursday, but he attacked without naming a " country which has no coast in the eastern Mediterranean ", summoning it " not to believe itself greater than it is ”.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-08-13

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