Le Figaro and the policy of rapprochement with Türkiye

On Saturday, French daily Le Figaro published an article entitled "Türkiye's mediating role in the Russian-Ukrainian war: How Erdogan's diplomacy made Türkiye indispensable on the international stage."

Of course, the article immediately made headlines across Turkish media, not only because of the curiosity about the French press' comment on the Turkish role but also because of its news value in terms of style.

Regarding Türkiye and its being the only country that was able to play a mediating role in the Russian-Ukrainian issue, the article pointed out that this real diplomatic success reveals a very active Turkish foreign policy that attaches great importance to peace, noting that Türkiye is the sixth country in the world in the number of diplomatic representations.

The article stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presents himself today as a peacemaker and is ready for dialogue with all parties, recalling the criticism leveled by the Western world towards Türkiye until recently.

Of course, it is interesting to see that Le Figaro now uses the term “professional of multipolarity” in reference to President Erdoğan’s ingenuity in espousing multipolarity, after it had been peddling an anti-Turkish line and publishing news like “neo-Ottoman dreams.” and so on.

CNN Turk correspondent in Paris, Arzu Cakir Morin, summed up Le Figaro's position very well: "Le Figaro is a French center-right newspaper, known for its longstanding anti-Turkish policy, especially during the eastern Mediterranean crşsşs. But recently, it has become quite different, as the newspaper has started to publish positive news, analysis, and opinion articles related to Türkiye. We can say that this situation is the last link in the chain.”

In the same context, Jean de Gliniasty, the former French ambassador to Moscow and director of research at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), said that Türkiye, as part of the Western bloc, is working to diversify its alliances and to remain in a permanent dialogue with all parties, even if they oppose So with its interests. Türkiye has succeeded in consolidating its hegemony through its policy of balancing forces, which has made it an indispensable country, which is commended and praised by everyone at the present time. Türkiye has become adept at managing a multipolar policy."

In the same context, Dorothy Schmid, an expert on Türkiye at the French Institute of International Relations, said: "The new Turkish foreign policy can assume its responsibilities better than in the past, as well as play the role of mediator and peacemaker in a less adventurous way, and is based on An impressive economic, military, and diplomatic repositioning."

On the other hand, Igor Delanoy, deputy director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow, said that President Erdogan has the ability to deal with sensitive issues, unlike Europeans who base their relations with Putin on the Ukrainian dossier.

Now it is the turn of the dissident Turkish intellectuals, who classify their views of the world according to the West's view, and who are also described as foreign to their country and themselves.

They have a difficult task, and they will feel excluded, despised, and as always betrayed.

Perhaps thus, they will have the opportunity to understand that the West, with which they feel eternally bound, is always looking for its own interests only, and not for eternal friendships and enmities.