Turkey slams Macron's 'arrogant statement with old colonial reflexes'

Turkey condemned French President Emmanuel Macron over the remarks he made with historical flashback after he intervened in a brewing crisis between Ankara and Athens over Eastern Mediterranean exploration rights, Turkish Daily Sabah reports.

Pax Mediterranea !

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 10, 2020

According to the report, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Macron once again made an arrogant statement reflecting his old colonialist reflexes.

“Macron’s statements are a manifestation of his own incompetence and despair. The world has left behind the days when they freely acted. Macron, whose sneaky foreign policy plans were spoiled by us, every day attacks Turkey and our president with his feeling of grudge,” it said.

The statement added that Macron endangers the EU’s interests with his “individual and nationalistic stance”.

READ: Macron’s ‘red lines’ against Turkey reveals France’s neo-Napoleonic mission

The disputes over rights in the Mediterranean should only be resolved through dialogue, it continued.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “Turkey will not allow piracy or banditry in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions.”

Last year Turkey signed an agreement with Libya which demarcated their maritime borders which gave Ankara rights over parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Ever since then, France has been urging the EU to impose further sanctions on Turkey if Ankara violates Greek or Cypriot territorial waters.

France and Turkey each support an opposing side in the Libya conflict which sees the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord, backed by Turkey, making significant military advances against the France-backed Libyan National Army.