You cannot lecture us on humanity, says Erdoğan to Macron

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Recalling France’s massacres in Algeria and Rwanda, the Turkish president said the French president “cannot lecture us on humanity.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks came at a symposium held on Democracy and Freedom Island against coup.

In a direct reference to President Emmanuel Macron, Erdoğan said “You [Macron] have no knowledge of history. You do not know the history of France.”

“You cannot lecture us on humanity,” he added, recalling the massacres in Algeria where some 1 million people were killed and in Rwanda where 800,000 people were murdered.

“Do not mess with Turkey and Turkish people,” Erdoğan added.

Earlier on Thursday, ahead of a summit of southern EU member states, Macron reportedly said: “We must be tough with the Turkish government and not with the Turkish people, who deserve more than the Erdoğan government.”

“Turkey is no longer a partner in the Mediterranean region,” said the French president, claiming NATO ally Turkey had some unacceptable encounters with a French ship off the coast of Libya.

Turkey on Thursday condemned Macron over his “arrogant” remarks made with “colonial reflexes”. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Macron endangers EU interests with his “individual and nationalistic stance.”