The Turkish ambassador to France has offered his condolences after the assassination of Professor Samuel Paty, contrary to what the French authorities say, the Turkish Foreign Ministry assured Sunday.
Read also: Erdogan mobilizes Islamists against France
On Saturday, the French presidency deplored “
the absence of messages of condolence and support from the Turkish President after the assassination of Samuel Paty
”.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry declared that "
Turkey, which has been fighting for years against all kinds of terror and violence, was saddened by the murder of Samuel Paty
".
This sadness was expressed by its first representative in France, Ambassador Ismail Hakki Musa, he adds.
In a tweet published on October 17, the diplomat wrote, in French: “
Horrified by the atrocious murder of a professor in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.
Nothing can justify this.
My condolences to his loved ones,
”recalls the ministry.
On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the attacks by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and recalled the French ambassador to Paris, a rare diplomatic act.
Read also: Turkish President Erdogan calls on Macron again to have his "mental health" examined
The French presidency denounced the "unacceptable" remarks of the Turkish head of state - who had questioned the "
mental health
" of Emmanuel Macron because of his attitude towards Muslims.
The head of French diplomacy Jean-Yves Le Drian denounced on the part of Turkey "
a desire to stir up hatred
" against France and its president.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan attacked his French counterpart again on Sunday, reiterating his doubts about his mental health.
In a televised speech in Malatya, a city of Anatolia (east), the Turkish head of state accused Macron of being "
obsessed with Erdogan day and night
".
"
He is a case and as a result he really needs to undergo (mental) exams
," he added.