Turkey rejects French President's claim on election

ANKARA: Turkey on Wednesday rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's claim that Ankara was meddling in France's next presidential election, saying his remarks are "unacceptable."

"We think that Macron's statements are unfortunate and inconsistent in this period when we are taking steps to replace tensions in relations between the two countries with calm and friendship," Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a written statement, according to Xinhua.

Macron's statement is "unacceptable and contrary to the friendship and alliance between our countries," the spokesperson said.

Turkey does not have an agenda related to France's domestic politics "except for the well-being, peace and harmony of nearly 800,000 Turks living in the country," said the statement.

These remarks are "prepared deliberately to erode the reality of Turkey," ahead of an EU summit, but they will not reach this goal, said Aksoy.

Macron said in an interview, broadcasted Monday on France5 TV, that Turkey was "attempting to interfere" in France's next presidential election in 2022.

-- BERNAMA