France to return its envoy to Turkey

Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian speaks during a joint press conference held with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu (not seen) following their meeting in Ankara, Turkey on 13 June, 2019 [Evrim Aydın/Anadolu Agency]

France is to return its ambassador to Turkey, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said yesterday, one week after recalling him.

France summoned its official after weeks of increasing tensions between the two countries over French President Emmanuel Macron’s support for a satirical magazine which insulted Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Muslims worldwide to boycott French products as a result.

Macron has been accused of persecuting Muslims in France, with French authorities currently cracking down on Muslim NGOs under a new law that has been criticised for curtailing civil liberties.

Le Drian said: “It is impossible to maintain an atmosphere of misunderstanding.”

The returning of the official to Ankara follows Turkey’s condemnation of an attack in the French city of Nice last week, Le Drian said.

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