Turkish leader backs boycott of French goods over cartoon row

[webfact]

Turkish leader backs boycott of French goods over cartoon row

By Christian Lowe and Tuvan Gumrukcu

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a ceremony in Malatya, Turkey October 25, 2020. Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

 

PARIS/ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan asked his compatriots to stop buying French goods on Monday in the latest expression of anger in the Muslim world over images being displayed in France of the Prophet Mohammad, which some Muslims consider blasphemous.

 

In Bangladesh on Monday, protesters held placards with a caricature of French President Emmanuel Macron and the words: "Macron is the enemy of peace", while Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution urging the government to recall its envoy from Paris.

 

Erdogan, who has a history of fraught relations with Macron, said France was pursuing an anti-Islam agenda.

 

"I am calling to all my citizens from here to never help French brands or buy them," Erdogan said.

 

The Turkish president has made similar boycott calls in the past, including an appeal not to buy U.S. electronic goods in 2018 that was not followed through.

 

Erdogan on Monday joined a chorus of voices calling for a boycott. In Kuwait city, a supermarket had stripped its shelves of L'Oreal cosmetics and skincare products after the cooperative union to which it belongs decided to stop stocking French goods.

 

In Saudi Arabia, calls for a boycott of French supermarket chain Carrefour were trending on social media, though two stores Reuters visited in the Saudi capital on Monday seemed as busy as normal. A company representative in France said it had yet to feel any impact.

 

France is a major exporter of grain to mainly-Muslim North Africa, and French companies in the autos and retail sector also have significant exposure to majority-Muslim countries

 

French Trade Minister Franck Riester said it was too early to put a figure on the impact of the boycott campaign but so far it was limited and mainly affected French agricultural exports.

 

Some countries are removing French products from shelves as a sign of protest against comments by French President Emmanuel Macron on "Islamist separatism". Edward Baran reports.

 

 

TEACHER BEHEADED

The row has its roots in a knife attack outside a French school on Oct. 16 in which an 18-year-old man of Chechen origin beheaded Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher who had shown pupils cartoons of Mohammad in a civics lesson on freedom of speech.

 

The cartoons first appeared many years ago in the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, whose Paris office was attacked in 2015 by gunmen who killed 12 people.

 

Since the beheading, the caricatures have been projected onto a building in one city and people displayed them at protests around the country. Macron said he would redouble efforts to stop conservative Islamic beliefs subverting French values.

 

Some in the Muslim world saw this as an attack on their religion.

 

Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority, the Council of Senior Scholars, said on Sunday that insulting prophets had nothing to do with freedom of expression and only "served extremists who aim to spread hatred".

 

Qatar’s government issued a statement on Monday condemning what it described as populist rhetoric inciting the abuse of religions.

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that insulting Muslims is an "opportunistic abuse of freedom of speech. It only fuels extremism."

 

Earlier, Erdogan had questioned Macron's mental health, prompting Paris to recall its ambassador in Ankara.

 

"What is the problem of this person called Macron with Muslims and Islam? Macron needs treatment on a mental level," Erdogan said in a speech on Saturday.

 

'WE WILL NOT GIVE IN'

France's government has stood firm in response to Muslim anger. In a Tweet on Sunday, Macron said France respected all differences in a spirit of peace but added: "We will not give in, ever." His foreign ministry urged foreign governments to dissociate themselves from boycott calls.

 

Macron on Monday met representatives of France's Muslim community. The meeting was behind closed doors and the Elysee Palace gave no detailed information on what was discussed.

 

One of those present, Mohamed Moussaoui, President of the French Council for the Muslim Faith, said delegates told Macron they opposed the boycott.

 

But they also told Macron "the Muslims of France are worried by discussions which seek to confuse them with terrorists," Moussaoui told French broadcaster BFM.

 

Several of France's partners in the European Union rallied round the French leader.

 

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Erdogan's remarks about Macron were unacceptable.

 

"Full solidarity with the President @EmmanuelMacron," Conte wrote on Twitter. "Personal invective does not help the positive agenda that the EU wants to pursue with Turkey."

 

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Giles Elgood)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-27

 

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[stevenl]

No surprise,the is pandering to his base.

[canopus1969]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"Macron is the enemy of peace"

Need to change that to "Islam is the enemy of peace"

[jollyhangmon]

 

... well, The Great Muselman Sultan clearly sacrifices himself for the cause as this also means no more imported velvety French goats for himself, a known and respected connoisseur in that regard, 555 ...!

 

PS.: ... listen to a soundbite of one of this warmongers speeches if you get a chance, he's doing a pretty good uncle A-dolf if you were to ask me ...

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by jollyhangmon

[Pattaya Spotter]

Enjoy your Freedom Kabobs...Americans love their Freedom Fries.

[donnacha]

Screw it.

These countries are essentially saying that they will accept neither the principle of freedom of expression, or the leader of a free country saying how important in the aftermath of a teacher getting his head hacked off in front of his class.

With no sense of shame over the barbaric action of their co-religionist, they are calling for a boycott of all goods from France, a country that has allowed more Muslims to settle than any other EU country.

It is time we accepted that certain belief systems are incompatible, and that you cannot simply make medieval cultures modern by giving them smartphones. For decades, we have ignored the problem. Instead of making it clear that these principles of gender equality, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of sexuality etc are non-negotiable, we allowed the divide to grow. As Jewish populations fled Europe over the past three decades, the media and politicians refused to acknowledge that there was even a problem.

Europe should be open to people of all races and religions, but no fascistic political movement masquerading as a religion should be allowed to pee all over our core beliefs.

Sure, we can keep sweeping it under the carpet but, at some point, we have to admit that we have an existential problem.

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by donnacha

[Opl]

Boycott french labeled cheese made in Turkey for the turkish market ( 50%) and  exported  (50% ) to Iraq etc.. . .

just do it !

Edited October 27, 2020 by Opl

[Opl]

19 minutes ago, donnacha said:

Screw it.

These countries are essentially saying that they will accept neither the principle of freedom of expression, or the leader of a free country saying how important in the aftermath of a teacher getting his head hacked off in front of his class.

With no sense of shame over the barbaric action of their co-religionist, they are calling for a boycott of all goods from France, a country that has allowed more Muslims to settle than any other EU country.

It is time we accepted that certain belief systems are incompatible, and that you cannot simply make medieval cultures modern by giving them smartphones. For decades, we have ignored the problem. Instead of making it clear that these principles of gender equality, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of sexuality etc are non-negotiable, we allowed the divide to grow. As Jewish populations fled Europe over the past three decades, the media and politicians refused to acknowledge that there was even a problem.

Europe should be open to people of all races and religions, but no fascistic political movement masquerading as a religion should be allowed to pee all over our core beliefs.

Sure, we can keep sweeping it under the carpet but, at some point, we have to admit that we have an existential problem.

 

->  "Sure, we can keep sweeping it under the carpet but, at some point, we have to admit that we have an existential problem."

 

In France we've been sweeping it under the carpet for so long, at this point we have to admit we have a huge problem impossible to ignore any longer. 

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by Opl

[kotsak]

2 hours ago, Opl said:

->  "Sure, we can keep sweeping it under the carpet but, at some point, we have to admit that we have an existential problem."

 

In France we've been sweeping it under the carpet for so long, at this point we have to admit we have a huge problem impossible to ignore any longer. 

 

Apparently the person who designed the carpet had a major in Physics with a sense of humor. Albert would love it ????

[Morch]

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

No surprise,the is pandering to his base.

 

That, and projecting himself as the leader of the Muslim world.

[stevenl]

15 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

That, and projecting himself as the leader of the Muslim world.

Not in this case, too late and to minor a reaction.

[sammieuk1]

Your citizens hate you tin pot sultan especially the thousands in jail on paralel state charges Boris not keen either with his spot on wankrera from Ankara poem ????  

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Your citizens hate you tin pot sultan especially the thousands in jail on paralel state charges Boris not keen either with his spot on wankrera from Ankara poem ????  

And in English please?

[Morch]

46 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Not in this case, too late and to minor a reaction.

 

Too late how?

And taken in the context of almost no similar reaction from other relevant leaders (especially from KSA), his words are bound to get more attention. As far as I'm aware, the official comments more in line with Erdogan's stance were aired after he started off this round of nonsense.

[Paiman]

Freedom of speech is not existent in a few countries.

[Morch]

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

And in English please?

 

Not too complicated.

Quote

Your citizens hate you tin pot sultan

 

Self explanatory, if a bit of a wishful thinking. Erdogan still got massive popular support, although somewhat less than previous times.

 

Quote

especially the thousands in jail on paralel state charges

 

That's a reference to Turkey's version of 'deep state'. Working against (or at least, having different interests then) Erdogan. Charges of being part of such a conspiracy are often brought against political rivals (with or without cause).

 

Quote

Boris not keen either with his spot on wankrera from Ankara poem   

 

Boris Johnson wins 'most offensive Erdoğan poem' competition

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/19/boris-johnson-wins-most-offensive-erdogan-poem-competition

 

Ankara welcomes Boris Johnson in spite of his Erdogan limerick

https://www.ft.com/content/2e356f76-84bd-11e6-a29c-6e7d9515ad15

 

The last bit is interesting with regard to comments and criticism on Erdogan's comments.

 

 

[sammieuk1]

35 minutes ago, stevenl said:

And in English please?

Why? he's Turkish.????

[from the home of CC]

not buying cheese is a minor compared to the assassination of French citizens -which will be the ultimate response to incessantly and unnecessarily angering religious extremists..

[Morch]

9 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

not buying cheese is a minor compared to the assassination of French citizens -which will be the ultimate response to incessantly and unnecessarily angering religious extremists..

 

So long as it remains on the not-buying-cheese level, yes. If it gains traction and effects bigger businesses (oil, gas, arms, tech and infrastructure), positions and words may be reconsidered.

[puipuitom]

Time the Western world responds also with a boycot on Turkish, Egyptian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi products.

Bye-the-way: does nobody understand there, the fall in tourism will bring more to poverty ? Oh, wait,., of course,.. the importance of the Religion of Peace is more important than all other.

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Time the Western world responds also with a boycot on Turkish, Egyptian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi products.

Bye-the-way: does nobody understand there, the fall in tourism will bring more to poverty ? Oh, wait,., of course,.. the importance of the Religion of Peace is more important than all other.

 

What 'tourism'? In free fall mode since the pandemic struck.

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

So long as it remains on the not-buying-cheese level, yes. If it gains traction and effects bigger businesses (oil, gas, arms, tech and infrastructure), positions and words may be reconsidered.

for that to happen imo it would take a greater participation than just the folks in the  Middle East, and even with the onslaught by social media I'm not sure if the rest of the Muslim world will buy into it - probably will depend on how effective/creative the social media blitz is and how vilified France is made to appear to moderate Muslims. I get the fact free speech is sacred, but all countries usually will put the brakes on certain expressions of it by metamorphizing it's classification into 'hate speech' which can be clamped. My thinking is "why throw gasoline on a fire most of world is committed to putting out" everyone knows France has pride in their free speech (as most democracies do) but to put citizens lives in possible danger over showing naked depiction pictures of a deity to school children, well, the logic escapes me..

[John1012]

how much does turnkey sell to the eu? boycott all turkrap imports and watch the country implode.

[stevenl]

16 minutes ago, John1012 said:

how much does turnkey sell to the eu? boycott all turkrap imports and watch the country implode.

Turkey is important for the west as access to the ME.

[tgw]

this islamist Erdogan barker needs to be put on a leash and muzzle more than ever

[tgw]

1 minute ago, Opl said:

 

We - the French people - are not going to let those guys decide what we teach in our public schools - no chance - Au contraire, no more hypocrisy -  

  

 

 

look at all these retards

[Opl]

1 minute ago, tgw said:

 

look at all these retards

 

centuries of obscurantism

[The Theory]

A fanatic vs a clown. Only people will take the damages. 

[onebir]

9 hours ago, kotsak said:

Apparently the person who designed the carpet had a major in Physics with a sense of humor.

Only funny until you fall into the black hole

[The Theory]

Erdogan is worry for next election. Recently he is trying to find ways to get more votes for his troubled party and next election. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by The Theory