US News "Dear Tayyip": Macron and Erdogan write to ease tensions

French Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Turkish Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed, in a letter exchange, to resume dialogue in order to overcome the strong tensions between Ankara and Paris , the head of Turkish diplomacy said on Friday.

© Eliot Blondet / Pool / Bestimage

French presidents Emmanuel Macron and Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed, in a letter exchange, to resume the dialogue in order to overcome the strong tensions between Ankara and Paris, said Friday the head of Turkish diplomacy.

Quoted on Friday by several newspapers, Turkish Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said that Mr. Erdogan had taken the initiative to write the first to Mr. Macron in order to wish him a happy new year and to offer him his condolences after several attacks aimed at France last fall. "This week, we received Macron's response (...) It is a very positive letter in which he says he wants to meet with our president and which also begins in Turkish with + Dear Tayyip +", continued Mr. Cavusoglu. According to the Turkish minister, the two leaders should soon have a telephone or videoconference interview, before a possible physical meeting.

Macron in Jarnac: "He tries to capture all the legacies that can bring big profits"

© Eric FEFERBERG / AFP Emmanuel Macron goes to Jarnac to honor the memory of François Mitterrand, who died on January 8, 1996. An exercise in tribute he appreciates, according to political journalist Catherine Nay. "He tries to capture all the legacies that can pay off", she explains at the microphone of Europe 1.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is putting on a rather fierce face in reaction to new tariffs from President Donald Trump and the plunging lira. Erdogan – ever the strongman – implored the country to show economic patriotism in response to what was going on.

I am one of those who think that Erdoğan is a great chance for the future of this country If today's USA, EU, English, French, Greece, Israel, Israel, Saudi, that is the ball that is in a struggle to overthrow Erdoğan , my country believes that the President is on the right path, proud of this I can hear it

Ankara and Paris have also decided to deepen exchanges in certain areas such as the fight against terrorism or even Syria and Libya, two issues on which Turkey and France have important discrepancies, according to M. Cavusoglu. Contacted by AFP, the French presidency confirmed the exchange, without however giving any indication of the content of the letters. "We now need tangible gestures" from Ankara, said the Elysee.

Tense for several years, relations between Turkey and France have deteriorated sharply in recent months, Mr. Erdogan going so far as to accuse Mr. Macron of "Islamophobia" and question his "mental health". Last month, the Turkish president called Macron "a problem for France", calling on the country to "get rid" of him. Mr Erdogan's turnaround comes as Turkey tries to calm relations with Europe, due to economic difficulties and before President-elect Joe Biden takes office, who is likely to be less conciliatory with Ankara than Donald Trump.

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