Macron says Turkey 'sometimes works with ISIS proxies'

Image
AFP London
Last Updated : Dec 03 2019 | 9:15 PM IST

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday accused Turkish forces of sometimes working with fighters linked to the Islamic State group in its operation in northern Syria.

"When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us. And sometimes they work with ISIS proxies," Macron said at a London news conference with US President Donald Trump.

Macron, who will meet Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day ahead of a NATO summit, also said he stood by comments he made last month alleging that NATO is strategically "brain dead".

Macron insisted there must be no "ambiguity" toward IS, saying that Turkey's actions against the Kurdish militias that helped the allies fight the jihadist group showed the need for better coordination.

"We have lost cooperation with Turkey, on security and trade and migration and European Union and France," Macron said, adding that two clarifications must be made at the summit.

"How is it possible to be a member of the alliance, to work with -- to be integrated and buy things from Russia?" he asked, referring to Ankara's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile system.

And secondly, he said it would have to be asked whether Turkey wants to remain a member of NATO if Erdogan makes good on a threat to delay Baltic defence measures unless allies declare the Kurdish militia terrorists.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 03 2019 | 9:15 PM IST

Next Story