Amid vain chatter in the European chambers regarding Turkey’s resolve regarding its rights in East Mediterranean Sea, social media was abuzz drawing parallels between France’s Emmanuel Macron and Napoleon Bonaparte who lost Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
In an unusually longer statement, Turkey’s foreign ministry exposed Macron’s hypocrisy.
Ankara said the French president was making “arrogant” statement with his “old colonial reflexes, as if he was trying to give lessons with a haughty attitude”.
Macron had expressed his frustration with rising profile of Erdogan globally – given that Turkey under Erdogan had proved its mettle “on table and in field”.
Erdogan’s resolve to safeguard his country’s rights everywhere has been due to strength he draws from his people.
Turkey’s post-modern history is replete with the profile of Erdogan who does not budge from locking horns to get rights of his countrymen.
Skimming through Turkish electoral politics post 2002 reveals people have put their weight behind Erdogan for the services he has rendered both in and outside the Turkish borders.
“President Erdogan is one of the leaders elected with the highest rate of votes in Europe. Our President has always taken his power from the Turkish people. The Turkish people and the government have always been and will continue to be in full unity against such delusions,” Ankara said after Macron’s outburst who has come long way from Paris to muddy waters of East Mediterranean Sea along with Greece.
All through his political career, Erdogan has secured wins with over 50% of votes cast in his favor – a rare of rare cases when it comes to western democracies.
Besides, Turkey’s democracies shame those bragging about it given the voter participation has risen to over 85% during general elections.
Erdogan led Justice and development (AK) Party has participated in six general elections – in 2002, 2007, 2011 and June 2015, and the snap elections of November 2015 and 2018 – and won them all.
The frustrations of Macron and Turkey’s naysayers is understandable: that president of a country takes pride in his past, wants a progressive life for his life and calls spade a spade, unlike those who looted resources of global south for their greed like France.
“In fact, Macron’s statements are a manifestation of his own incompetence and despair. The days when they had free rein all over the world are over. Because we thwarted all his insidious plans in foreign policy and countered his dirty games, Macron vehemently attacks Turkey and our President every day,” Ankara said.
Turkey of 2020 is not Turkey of 2002.
In nineteen years of AK Party rule, Turkey has rose to become one of the top 20 economies of the world – G20. It is a major economy in the Muslim world and a leading investor in African countries.
Its electricity generation is over 81000 MWs; its defense sector is ranked among top 100 and its construction and services sectors are leading globally.
Turkey is now aiming space!
Seeing Turkey marching towards its ‘Goal 2023’ has unearthed many imperial powers and France is not an exception.
Macron’s jumping in to East Mediterranean is none of his job but because of this wobbling which he feels due to ‘rise and rise’ of Turkey under Erdogan.
However, it won’t stop the AKP chief.
“Your freedom ends where my nose starts” is a universal truth and Turks not only believe it but have adopted it.
On drilling of possible natural gas and oil in East Mediterranean Sea, turkey has shown will to sit down on table and negotiate but Greece, which is yet to overpower its failures in past, has been spoiled by French arrogance.
“It is not for Macron to determine the maritime jurisdiction of any country in the Mediterranean or any other geography,” said Turkish foreign ministry.
“The French President, with his individual and nationalist stance, encourages tension and puts the great interests of Europe and the EU at risk.”
The larger truth about tensions in East Mediterranean is that France does not belong to the geography of the sea.
But it still acts with “colonialist approach in the region, criticizes Turkey’s partnership, sincerity, cooperation and enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy”.
Thanks to Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe who once remarked: “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
The story of Turkey’s prosperous times is being jotted by its own media.
Against all biased coverage that international media run the likes of Macron, Turkey has risen and continues to rise.
But — it is time for Turkey now!
