UPDATE -Top Turkish diplomat calls Macron's remarks in Algeria 'unfortunate'

UPDATE WITH MORE QUOTES FROM TURKISH, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTERS

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks in Algeria were "unfortunate," as Türkiye does not see any country as a competitor in Africa or in other places, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday.

"Türkiye comes among the top countries that countries trust. Thus it is not right to see Türkiye as a competitor," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference in the capital Ankara with Catherine Colonna, his visiting French counterpart.

On a three-day visit last week to France’s former colony Algeria, Macron claimed that networks originating from Russia, China, and Türkiye are carrying out "anti-French propaganda" in Africa.

Noting that Türkiye sees the African continent as an equal partner, Cavusoglu said: "If France is finding it difficult to go back to some African countries, we can help France, because Türkiye is a trustworthy partner."

On topics of special concern to Türkiye, Cavusoglu said, "We believe that France will not give up on common sense," decrying the rise in xenophobia and racism in Europe and stressing that it is in both countries’ best interests to continue fighting Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, extremism, and xenophobia.

Cavusoglu also said his country expects necessary measures to be taken for the security of mosques in France as well as Turkish and Muslim community groups there.

- Deep bilateral ties

Saying that he hopes the Turkish community living in France adapts to French society as well as possible while maintaining their ties with Türkiye, Cavusoglu added that it is important for France to take steps to facilitate and encourage them.

Saying that Türkiye and France have deep political, economic, and cultural ties, Cavusoglu said they have agreed to continue cooperation against regional and global challenges.

"It is clear that we do not agree with France on everything,” he added. “We may not agree on everything, but that does not prevent us from having a dialogue and working together. We have also seen that we reduced our differences of opinion through dialogue."

"It is healthier to talk to each other than to talk about each other in different settings," he added.

For her part, Colonna congratulated her Turkish counterpart on Ankara's “important success” in unblocking Ukraine grain shipments this July.

Haling the Turkish-brokered Istanbul grain deal, she said a different energy deal under the UN could be reached amid the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.

Colonna added: “Let's increase the number of topics we agree on and discuss them even if we have differences of opinion from time to time."

She also said they discussed the war in Ukraine, adding that she "emphasized the necessity of maintaining our stance against Russia in a very determined way."