Boris Johnson ditches insults and talks ‘jumbo’ trade deals in Turkey

Alasdair Sandford

 

 

ANKARA: -- Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he hopes for a big trade deal with Turkey after the UK leaves the European Union.

 

Johnson met President Erdogan on Tuesday and several other senior figures from his host country, on his first visit to Turkey since hisappointment to the post.

 

He said his lewd poem about the Turkish leader – involving sowing wild oats and a goat – had not come up in conversation.

 

“Much to my amazement it has not come up at all. Nobody raised such trivia until you did,” he told a reporter.

 

Johnson wrote the poem earlier this year – before he became Britain’s chief diplomat – after a magazine invited readers to send in rude rhymes about Erdogan in protest at Turkey’s crackdown on free speech.

 

A senior Turkish official later said Ankara would draw a line under Johnson’s past comments, but said relations would be damaged if he repeated such insults.

 

But one of the aims of this visit was to build bridges and pave the way for a new relationship with Turkey once the UK leaves the EU.

 

On Monday he said Britain was happy to be “one of the biggest recipients of Turkish goods”, adding that he was proud to own a “well-functioning Turkish washing machine”.

 

On Tuesday, as he met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Boris Johnson looked to Britain’s post-EU future.

 

“We can begin the preparatory work for what I hope will be a new jumbo free trade deal between the UK and Turkey,” he told a joint news conference. “We may be disentangling ourselves from the treaties of the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe.”

 

Johnson, who has Turkish ancestors, has been accused of hypocrisy. On Monday he said Britain would help Turkey’s bid to join the EU in any way possible.

 

Before the UK’s referendum, the pro-Brexit campaign he jointly led cited possible Turkish EU membership as a threat to security and a reason to leave. The “Vote Leave” claim that “Turkey is joining the EU” – which it said meant that Turkish “criminals” could not be stopped from reaching the UK – was condemned as false and misleading.

 

Johnson also backed Ankara’s policy on Syria. At the start of his two-day trip the British foreign minister visited a refugee camp near the Turkish border with Syria, and met exiled members of the Syrian opposition.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-09-28

He said his lewd poem about the Turkish leader – involving sowing wild oats and a goat – had not come up in conversation.

 

“Much to my amazement it has not come up at all. Nobody raised such trivia until you did,” he told a reporter.

 

I don't believe this for one minute.

"Johnson, who has Turkish ancestors, has been accused of hypocrisy. On Monday he said Britain would help Turkey’s bid to join the EU in any way possible".

 

Of course he would. Anything to get at the EC which he hates. Now that this buffoon and embarrassment to the English has ,stupidly decided the EC is not for him....and the majority who voted to leave....he now decides to back Turkey for EC accession. Turkey, or 87% of it, is in Asia.  

 

My guess is that he wants to do this to hurt the EC. But now the UK is out he has thankfully, no say in this. 

 

Tell you what Boreis (sic) .....back Turkey to join the UK.....what about it??

 

 

Edited September 28, 20169 yr by harleyclarkey

53 minutes ago, harleyclarkey said:

My guess is that he wants to do this to hurt the EC. But now the UK is out he has thankfully, no say in this. 

 

 

You're very much mistaken, the UK is not out of the EU at all. All that's happened so far is an opinion poll.

 

The long drawn out process to leave the EU hasn't even started yet and likely won't begin until next year sometime. When this process does begin it might take two years, maybe less but who knows - it could take longer if everyone agrees to extend negotiations.

 

Until then the UK remains a full memeber of the EU.

51 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

You're very much mistaken, the UK is not out of the EU at all. All that's happened so far is an opinion poll.

 

The long drawn out process to leave the EU hasn't even started yet and likely won't begin until next year sometime. When this process does begin it might take two years, maybe less but who knows - it could take longer if everyone agrees to extend negotiations.

 

Until then the UK remains a full memeber of the EU.

I dont think he realises Turkey is part of the customs union any trade deal undertaken needs eu approval

Erdogan is a wily old bugger and doesn't do things without reason. So once the UK finally leaves the EU expect Turkey to demand visa free access to the UK for Turkish citizens as part of any trade deal. 

Edited September 28, 20169 yr by Xircal

13 minutes ago, Xircal said:

Erdogan is a wily old bugger and doesn't do things without reason. So once the UK finally leaves the EU expect Turkey to demand visa free access to the UK for Turkish citizens as part of any trade deal. 

prior to the referendum there was a leaked memo suggesting the uk was going to give visa free travel to Turkeys  civil  servants

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36510009

Edited September 28, 20169 yr by rockingrobin

1 minute ago, rockingrobin said:

prior to the referendum there was a leaked memo suggesting the uk was going to give visa free travel to Turkeys  civil  servants

 

Erdogan is likely to exploit that then and make every citizen a civil servant.

He looks like a Mini-Me version of Donald Trump.

Just now, Prbkk said:

He looks like a Mini-Me version of Donald Trump.

 

He is very much so, equally nauseous, ignorant, retarded, bigoted, silver-spooned and cretinous. 

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

You're very much mistaken, the UK is not out of the EU at all. All that's happened so far is an opinion poll.

 

The long drawn out process to leave the EU hasn't even started yet and likely won't begin until next year sometime. When this process does begin it might take two years, maybe less but who knows - it could take longer if everyone agrees to extend negotiations.

 

Until then the UK remains a full memeber of the EU.

 

 

You are not correct.

It was not an opinion poll...it was a legally binding referendum. It WILL be carried through. The EC has said, as has T. May, there will be NO change of heart. 

 

You are in all essence out of the EC. It is a matter of just triggering Article 50.

 

Did you not see that the UK (you) were not at the last tmeeting of EC leaders?

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

You're very much mistaken, the UK is not out of the EU at all. All that's happened so far is an opinion poll.

 

The long drawn out process to leave the EU hasn't even started yet and likely won't begin until next year sometime. When this process does begin it might take two years, maybe less but who knows - it could take longer if everyone agrees to extend negotiations.

 

Until then the UK remains a full memeber of the EU.

 

 

You are not correct.

It was not an opinion poll...it was a legally binding referendum. It WILL be carried through. The EC has said, as has T. May, there will be NO change of heart. 

 

You are in all essence out of the EC. It is a matter of just triggering Article 50.

 

Did you not see that the UK (you) were not at the last tmeeting of EC leaders?

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

You're very much mistaken, the UK is not out of the EU at all. All that's happened so far is an opinion poll.

 

The long drawn out process to leave the EU hasn't even started yet and likely won't begin until next year sometime. When this process does begin it might take two years, maybe less but who knows - it could take longer if everyone agrees to extend negotiations.

 

Until then the UK remains a full memeber of the EU.

 

 

You are not correct.

It was not an opinion poll...it was a legally binding referendum. It WILL be carried through. The EC has said, as has T. May, there will be NO change of heart. 

 

You are in all essence out of the EC. It is a matter of just triggering Article 50.

 

Did you not see that the UK (you) were not at the last tmeeting of EC leaders?

What the heck??!!

 

TV must have had a fizzy.......posted once and hey presto. 

A triple post!

Sorry!

What the heck??!!

 

TV must have had a fizzy.......posted once and hey presto. 

A triple post!

Sorry!