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Turkey says talks with France to normalise ties going well

Turkey has repeatedly traded barbs with France over policies in Syria, Libya, the eastern Mediterranean and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad in France

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Sochi, Russia December 29, 2020.. Reuters

H. J. I./Reuters

Turkey and France are working on a roadmap to normalise ties and talks are going well, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding Ankara was ready to improve ties with its NATO ally if Paris showed the same willingness.

Turkey has repeatedly traded barbs with France over policies in Syria, Libya, the eastern Mediterranean and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad in France. Paris has led a push for EU sanctions on Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference in Lisbon, Cavusoglu said the current tensions between Ankara and France stemmed from Paris being “categorically” against Turkey on several fronts.

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