Türkiye Monday strongly condemned the hosting of members of the PKK terrorist organization’s Syrian wing, the YPG, at the French senate and "awarding them with a medal of honor."
French Ambassador in Ankara Herve Magro was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to protest the meeting.
"The attacks of the PKK/PYD/YPG ... against our country and Syrians, and their separatist and destabilizing activities in the region have been brought to the attention of the ambassador once again," Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Ankara expects the French authorities to not give credit to the efforts that provide international legitimacy to the PKK terror group's extensions in Syria, the sources added.
Ankara also requests France to support the security of Turkish borders and the people, as well as to protect Syria's unity and territorial integrity, and to show solidarity in accordance with the spirit of an ally, they added.
"Regarding the issue, an attempt was made by our embassy in Paris before the relevant French authorities and our reaction was strongly expressed," the sources said.
Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop said the fact that the members of the PKK terrorist organization that threatens Türkiye's national security are hosted in the French senate is "not surprising, although it is very serious."
"We have witnessed before, that France establishes relations with terrorist organizations, especially Daesh, openly or covertly, when it comes to its convenience.
"As the speaker of Parliament, I must state that the fact that a country's parliament hosts members of a terrorist organization weakens the reputation of that institution," Şentop said on Twitter.
Türkiye expects France to act in accordance with the law, humanity and the requirements of being a modern reliable state, which has shown the entire world with a parliamentary hand that they "openly" sided with the PKK's extensions in Syria, he added.
Similarly, the spokesperson for Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Ömer Çelik said that the development was “embarrassing” for France.
“It is embarrassing for France to host members of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization in the French senate. This is also a provocative action targeting Turkish-French friendship. We strongly condemn this disgrace,” Çelik wrote on Twitter.
Saying that granting terrorists with medals is an insult to democracy, Çelik continued: “Making the French senate the home of terrorists is a threat to all democratic values. The French senate must uphold anti-terrorism values.”
Çelik further reminded France of the recent protests by PKK sympathizers which caused chaos and during which French security forces were attacked. “Rewarding those who attack French democracy is trampling on the law and democratic values.”
“No matter what name this terrorist organization has, it is the enemy of our country and humanity. We will resolutely continue the fight against this massacre network,” Çelik concluded.
Moreover, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the French senate besmirched its reputation after hosting YPG terrorists.
"The hosting of the representatives of the bloody PKK/YPG terrorist organization in the parliament of NATO member France casts a shadow over its respectability," the ministry said. "Not only such a move is against the spirit of alliance, but it also eviscerates NATO’s fight against terrorism.”
“In any case, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will continue ceaselessly fighting all terrorist organizations,” it stressed.
French officials have frequently hosted and supported YPG members.
French senate Vice Chair Pierre Laurent announced the meeting on Twitter and shared a photo with the terrorist members.
The French senate hosting YPG members comes after the incident of the crash of a French-built helicopter, which was allegedly carrying PKK terrorists in northern Iraq.
The chopper crashed in Iraq’s Duhok region in mid-March, and a day later Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) said some of those on board were members of the PKK terrorist organization.
Initial findings indicated it was a Eurocopter AS350 helicopter and that some of the crash victims were PKK terrorists. The chopper is designed and manufactured in France.
Support of the YPG/PKK in Syria by France, the United States and several other Western countries has become one of the stumbling blocks in bilateral ties between Türkiye and its NATO allies.
