Macron’s remarks in Algeria ‘unfortunate’, says top Turkish diplomat

ANKARA (AA) – French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent remarks in Algeria were “unfortunate,” as Türkiye does not see any country as a competitor in Africa or in other places, the Turkish foreign minister has said.

“Türkiye comes among the top countries that countries trust. Thus it is not right to see Türkiye as a competitor,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference in the capital Ankara with Catherine Colonna, his visiting French counterpart.

On a three-day visit last week to France’s former colony Algeria, Macron claimed that networks originating from Russia, China, and Türkiye are carrying out “anti-French propaganda” in Africa.

Noting that Türkiye sees the African continent as an equal partner, Cavusoglu said: “If France is finding it difficult to go back to some African countries, we can help France, because Türkiye is a trustworthy partner.”

On topics of special concern to Türkiye, Cavusoglu said, “We believe that France will not give up on common sense,” decrying the rise in xenophobia and racism in Europe and stressing that it is in both countries’ best interests to continue fighting Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, extremism, and xenophobia.

Cavusoglu also said his country expects necessary measures to be taken for the security of mosques in France as well as Turkish and Muslim community groups there.

For her part, Colonna congratulated her Turkish counterpart on Ankara’s “important success” in unblocking Ukraine grain shipments this July. Haling the Turkish-brokered Istanbul grain deal, she said a different energy deal under the UN could be reached amid the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.

Noting that France has many areas on which it can cooperate with Türkiye on the African continent, Colonna said the two countries have “many common goals on the African continent.”