“Macron is a problem for France. France is experiencing a very dangerous period with Macron. I hope France will get rid of the Macron problem as soon as possible, ”Erdogan told journalists in Istanbul after participating in Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia, formerly a cathedral and since July a mosque.
Relations between Turkey and France have been gradually deteriorating since last year, due in part to disagreements over Syria, Libya, the East Mediterranean and the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Tensions rose in October when Erdogan questioned Macron’s “mental health”, accused him of a “hate campaign” against Islam because the French president defended the right to caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. Erdogan also lashed out at Islamist “separatism” in France.
Erdogan said on Friday that France had “lost its role of mediator” in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, after the French parliament passed resolutions in favor of recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh. “My dear friend Aliev (Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, ed.) Told the French to give Marseille to the Armenians if they love them so much. I give the French the same advice,” said the Turkish president.
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