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EU Demands Answers Over Turkey 'Sofagate'

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EU Demands Answers Over Turkey 'Sofagate' InternationalFriday FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2021 Britain slams ‘bullying’ Myanmar over London Biden tackles ‘ghost guns’ and US firearms violence Page 15 embassy standoff Page 17 ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) receiving EU Council President Charles Michel (center) and President of EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen (left) at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. — AFP EU demands answers over Turkey ‘sofagate’ Ankara blames EU for scandal as Ursula von der Leyen defends women’s rights BRUSSELS: EU lawmakers yesterday called for the bloc’s top mission was clearly surprised,” European Commission blame from Ankara and said the seating arrangements were two officials to explain a snowballing diplomatic scandal that spokesman Eric Mamer said, insisting von der Leyen should made “in line with the EU suggestion. Period”. Michel drew saw Commission head Ursula von der Leyen left without a have been treated “exactly in the same manner” as Michel. flak in Brussels for seeming not to support his colleague and chair at talks with Turkey’s president. The furor-dubbed “sofa- “She does consider that these issues are important and need readily accepting the only available seat. gate” online-has sparked a slew of accusations over Ankara’s to be treated appropriately, which they clearly were not,” In a Facebook post he insisted “nothing is further from the attitude to women and the EU, sexism in Brussels, and internal Mamer said. reality or my deepest feelings” and said the “regrettable” political wrangling between the bloc’s institutions. While the two male leaders took the only two chairs, a scene was down to a Turkish protocol blunder. The scandal It all centered on an awkward moment at the start of talks blindsided von der Leyen was left standing before being ush- drew complaints from across Europe over what was seen as between von der Leyen, European Council President Charles ered to a nearby sofa. “EU-Turkey relations are crucial. But only the latest example of bungled EU foreign policy efforts. Michel and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara EU unity and respect for human rights, including women’s “These are images that hurt. I don’t want a naive Europe,” on Tuesday. rights, are also key,” Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia Perez, the France’s Europe minister Clement Beaune said. “We are deal- The well-appointed room which the three leaders entered head of the Socialist & Democrats grouping in parliament, ing with interlocutors who know the value of symbols. We have had only two chairs arranged next to the corresponding EU wrote on Twitter. to be much more firm.” and Turkish flags. Erdogan and Michel quickly seated them- She said she had asked for a conversation with Von der selves while von der Leyen-whose diplomatic rank is the same Leyen and Michel “to clarify what happened and how to re- ‘Turkish hospitality’ as that of the two men-was left standing. “Ehm,” she said spect the EU institutions”. That call was echoed by the leader The diplomatic faux pas was instantly branded “sofagate” pointedly, while appearing to spread her arms in wonder. Of- of the conservative European People’s Party parliamentary on Twitter and became the dominant talking point of the first ficial images later showed her seated on a sofa opposite one bloc, Manfred Weber, who told Politico the trip to Ankara had Turkey-EU summit in a year. The meeting was aimed at a set- taken by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. become “a symbol of disunity” between the EU’s top officials. ting a more positive tone to relations after months of trouble Cavusoglu said yesterday that criticism leveled against The meeting with Erdogan came at a delicate moment as on multiple fronts. But it ended with European officials accus- Turkey for the diplomatic blunder was “unfair”. “The seating the EU and Turkey look to rebuild ties rocked by renewed ten- ing Turkey-which last month withdrew from the landmark Is- arrangements were made in line with the EU suggestion. Pe- sions last year. Von der Leyen, the first female head of the Eu- tanbul Convention combatting gender-based violence-of male riod. We would not be revealing this fact had accusations not ropean Commission, stressed Brussels’ concerns over women’s chauvinism. been made against Turkey,” Cavusoglu told reporters. rights after Erdogan withdrew from the Istanbul Convention “First they withdraw from the Istanbul Convention and Von der Leyen, as president of the European Commission, on preventing violence against women and children. Her now they leave the President of European Commission with- is head of the EU executive. Michel, president of the European spokesman hit out at the diplomatic faux pas but said she had out a seat in an official visit. Shameful. #WomensRights,” Council, represents member state governments. pressed on with addressing the thorny issue of ties with wrote Spanish European Parliament member Iratxe Garcia Brussels expects both to be treated with the protocol re- Ankara rather than walking out of the meeting. Perez. Some also questioned why Michel was so quick to served for a head of government. “The president of the com- Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu deflected take a seat.—AFP.
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