French President Emmanuel Macron's statements about Turkey are a manifestation of his desperation, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
"French President Macron again made a haughty statement with the reflexes of a former colonizer. In fact, Macron's statements are a manifestation of his own miserable situation and the despair in which he finds himself. This is due to the fact that the days when they were free to behave as they want have passed," the communique states.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also expressed the opinion that Ankara was destroying the French "insidious plans in foreign policy and other dirty games." The Foreign Ministry of the Republic believes that France does not have the right to "determine maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean."
Earlier on Thursday, Macron said that Turkey was no longer a partner for Europe in the development of the Mediterranean region. According to the French President, Europe has "clear "red lines": respect for the sovereignty of European states, respect for international law and condemnation of all unilateral acts."
In June, a Turkish frigate off the coast of Libya refused to comply with an order to inspect cargo from a French frigate taking part in an EU mission to monitor compliance with the UN arms embargo on the country. Evading the search, the Turkish ship targeted the French warship with a radar missile guidance system, which the French military department regarded as "exceptionally hostile and aggressive actions."
France, together with Cyprus, Greece and Italy, conducted military exercises South of Cyprus from 26 to 28 August. They are the first stage in the implementation of the initiative to strengthen the quadrilateral naval and air presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. The exercise began after Ankara sent its research vessel, Oruc Reis, accompanied by a group of warships for seismic exploration on the Greek sea shelf near the island of Kastellorizo. In response, Greece put its armed forces on alert and said it would defend its sovereign rights.
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Based on materials from TASS