Libya operations have exposed France-Turkey diplomatic rift.

2 ANSWERS

1. Harry
   

   The apparently non-pleasant relationship between Turkey and France, which staunchly opposes Turkey’s accession to the Europe, has perhaps come to an end as the two countries come together under the NATO umbrella to decide how Libyan operations will play out.
    

   Report (0) (0)  |   1 year, 2 month(s) ago  

2. James Augustus
   

   According to France 24:

   For many observers, Turkey’s reluctance to engage fully in Libya stems from it’s historically complicated links with France, a country that has vocally opposed Ankara’s accession to the European Union.

   Turkey, the only Muslim NATO member and an increasingly powerful voice in the Arab world, has taken a particularly dim view of France’s leadership in Libya.

   “The fact that France is trying to set the agenda in Libya exasperates the Turks,” said Didier Billion, Turkey specialist at the Paris-based Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS).

   “Ankara was opposed to intervention in Libya – but now that the process has begun, it would rather it becomes a fully NATO-led operation than one led by the French.”

   Diplomatically, France has not shined in Turkish eyes in recent weeks, analysts said. In late February, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was given a chill welcome in a whirlwind visit to Ankara during which he stayed on the ground for a few brief hours.

   “I think this is not a visit that corresponds to the height of the friendship between France and Turkey," Erdogan said at the time. "Turkey and Turkish-French relations deserve more than that."

   On March 19, the day after the UN resolution on Libya, France committed yet another diplomatic faux pas in “omitting” to invite Turkey to an international summit in Paris.

    

   Report (0) (0)  |   1 year, 2 month(s) ago