Outgoing French Ambassador in Ankara Herve Magro told Anadolu Agency (AA) Friday that despite challenges, relations between Türkiye and France are robust and contain many positive elements inspiring future ties.
Magro said he was glad to see sustained activities between the two countries in many fields as part of bilateral ties, despite “occasional problems.”
The ambassador was summoned to Turkish foreign ministry several times during his tenure, including over Türkiye’s concerns over anti-Turkish propaganda by the terrorist group PKK in France, and the French Senate presenting medals to members of PKK’s Syrian wing YPG. France itself recalled him for consultations after Türkiye’s criticism of Islamophobia in France in 2020.
Ankara has repeatedly traded barbs with Paris over its policies on Syria, Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean and other issues, but relations remained somewhat stable. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron have been at odds in their speeches critical of each other but most of their meetings and accompanying photo opportunities have been warm and sincere occasions as per media reports.
Magro said Türkiye and France would mark the 500th anniversary of bilateral relations two years later, as the first French envoy arrived in Istanbul, the then capital of the Ottoman Empire, at the peak period of the empire. “France has a strong presence in Türkiye, in education, culture and economy,” Magro told AA.
French culture has been a dominant force in Türkiye, especially in the latter times of the Ottoman Empire while the Turkish language has long been dominated by words and phrases borrowed from French. The two countries’ bilateral trade volume reached $19 billion in 2022. “Paradoxically, despite challenges we went through, our relations are resistant (to these challenges) and strong,” the ambassador said.
He also highlighted cooperation in the fight against climate change and cooperation on technology and noted the work of the French Development Agency. “In the long term, we are committed to contributing to the reconstruction of areas affected by earthquakes,” he said, referring to the Feb. 6 earthquakes in Türkiye’s south, which devastated cities and claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Magro commented on Türkiye’s European Union (EU) membership, which has been a hot topic recently after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked the bloc to pave the way for membership just as Türkiye partially greenlit NATO membership of Sweden. “Türkiye is an indisposable partner for European Union. I hope a new page will be turned on relations in the coming weeks,” he said.
