Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY
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WORLD NEWS A9
Friday 5 January 2018
Seeking better ties with Europe, Erdogan heads to Paris
By SUZAN FRASER French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak at a foreign policy analyst who
Associated Press writes for al-Monitor web-
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — NATO summit, in Brussels, Thursday May 25, 2017. Erdogan travels to Paris on Friday Jan. 5, 2018. site. He added, however,
President Recep Tayyip that bridging ties would be
Erdogan is trying to bring for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. no easy task.
Turkey’s relations with Eu- Germany is particularly
ropean nations back on (Eric Feferberg /Pool via AP) irritated by Turkey’s jail-
track following a stormy ing of several German or
2017 that saw the Turkish ment ministers from holding deteriorating state of hu- it in its struggle against the German-Turkish nation-
leader quarrel with Euro- als, including a prominent
pean leaders and accuse political rallies to court ex- man rights and democratic movement led by U.S.- journalist, on terror-related
them of Nazi-like behavior. charges, and even issued a
Erdogan travels to Paris on patriates’ votes in a refer- institutions in Turkey, in the based Muslim cleric Fethul- travel warning for German
Friday for talks with French citizens planning to visit Tur-
President Emmanuel Ma- endum on giving Erdogan wake of the 2016 failed mili- lah Gulen, whom it blames key.
cron while Foreign Minister Berlin reacted with caution
Mevlut Cavusoglu will be expanded powers. tary coup. for the coup. Gulen denies to Erdogan’s comments
heading to the hometown on improving relations with
of his German counterpart, Erdogan unleashed a series Around 50,000 people involvement in the attempt. Europe, stressing the impor-
Sigmar Gabriel, on Satur- tance of the situation of the
day in a bid to patch up of insults at his allies, accus- have been arrested since “Even if they hate each arrested German citizens.
ties. Erdogan is sounding up-
The visits come a week af- ing European officials of then and 110,000 others re- other (Turkey and Europe- beat about improved ties.
ter Erdogan voiced hope In comments published in
that Turkey could mend racism, harboring terrorists moved from public sector an nations) are aware that Turkey’s Hurriyet newspa-
fences with several Europe- per last month, Erdogan de-
an nations, declaring that and behaving like Nazis. jobs. they are obliged to coop- scribed the leaders of Ger-
his country “must decrease many, the Netherlands and
the number of enemies European nations, mean- Turkey in turn accuses EU erate on so many issues,” Belgium as “old friends,”
and increase friends.” called recent contacts with
Ties between Ankara and while, are alarmed by the nations of not supporting said Semih Idiz, a Turkish them “quite good” and
some European nations noted that they, like Turkey,
were already at a low over oppose a controversial U.S.
Turkey’s stalled EU member- decision to recognize Jeru-
ship negotiations. Tempers salem as Israel’s capital.
flared after authorities in “They have not left us alone
several countries last year on (the Jerusalem) issue,”
prevented Turkish govern- Erdogan said.q
Macron heading to China to strengthen economic ties
By SAM PETREQUIN Macron will meet with Chi- commercial deals are ex- that good cooperation be- The Elysee said China is
Associated Press nese President Xi Jinping pected to be signed dur- tween France and China France’s leading commer-
PARIS (AP) — French Presi- on Jan. 9 after visiting the ing the three-day visit but could improve chances of cial partner in Asia, but
dent Emmanuel Macron ancient imperial capital of they have yet to be final- a denuclearization agree- France’s trade deficit with
will head to China next Xi’an. ized. A Franco-Chinese in- ment. China reaches about 30
week to strengthen com- Talks also will focus on North vestment fund worth more While in Xi’an, an eastern billion euros ($36.2 billion).
mercial ties with the world’s Korea, the fight against than a billion euros ($1.2 departure point of the an- Macron, who will travel with
second-largest economy. terror financing and inter- billion) also should be an- cient Silk Road, Macron representatives of large
It will be Macron’s first state national efforts against cli- nounced.France says Chi- will deliver a speech on French companies, wants
visit to China since he won mate change. na has a major role to play the Franco-Chinese rela- to secure new deals that
election last year. Macron’s office on Thurs- in the North Korea nuclear tionship from an historical would guarantee recipro-
According to the Elysee, day said a number of crisis and Macron hopes standpoint. cal market access.q
