Erdoğan's 'soothing' statements may not be enough to avoid EU sanctions, warns Le Drian

Photo: AA/File

France expects Turkey to take action rather than making statements to reduce tensions over various international issues ahead of the EU summit next month, the country's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said yesterday (November 22).

"The soothing declarations by Erdoğan that we've seen over the past two or three days are not enough, we need acts," Le Drian said during a TV program, according to AFP.

His remarks came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on the European Union (EU) for dialogue and stronger cooperation a day before.

The EU leaders will convene in mid-December, with possible sanctions on Turkey being on their agenda.

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said last week that the block would decide about sanctioning Turkey over its hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, which considers a violation of the waters of Greece and Southern Cyprus.

CLICK - Merkel: A decision will be made about Turkey at EU summit

"We see ourselves in not other places but Europe, we envisage our future together with Europe," Erdoğan told his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and added that Turkey did not have problems with any country that could not be solved through dialogue.

Le Drian said Erdoğan could easily reduce tensions by taking some steps regarding the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh issues, in which he accuses Turkey of pursuing expansionist policies and violating international norms. (VK)