'Sofagate': Turkey rejects claims it snubbed Ursula von der Leyen, passes the buck to EU

Turkey on April 8 strongly rejected accusations that it snubbed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen because of her . During ir Ankara visit, Von der Leyen was taken aback to find her fellow top EU Official taking only chair available next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A video showed Charles Michel and Erdogan taking chairs as Von der Leyen stood looking at both men, expressing her astonishment with a “ehm” and a gesture of disappointment. 

video drew intense criticism and accusations of discrimination. However, according to Associated Press, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey h come under “extremely unfair” criticism. He insisted that EU’s own protocol requests were applied during meeting at Turkish Presidential Palace. He even ded that he felt obliged to lay blame on EU publicly following accusations against Turkey from even “highest level of EU”. 

“Turkey is a deep-rooted state and this is t first time that it has hosted a visitor. protocol applied during its (international) meetings is in line with international protocol rules as well as world-rewned Turkish hospitality tritions,” Cavusoglu said. 

He ded, “ protocol that was applied during narrow-scope meeting that was held at our president’s office met requests of EU side. In or words, such a seating arrangement was me in line with suggestions of EU side. Period”. 

Von der Leyen ‘surprised by arrangements’ 

Meanwhile, following incident, Von der Leyen’s spokesman Eric Mamer said that Von der Leyen was “surprised by arrangements”. Mamer said that EU chief should have been seated toger with Michel and Erdogan. He ded that Von der Leyen, however, decided to proceed as she prioritized “substance over protocol”. Mamer even said that Von der Leyen h asked her team to make contacts to ensure that incident is t repeated in future. 

In a separate statement, Michel said that embarrassment was result of “strict interpretation” by Turkish services of protocol rules. He regretted “differentiated, even diminished, treatment of president of European Commission”. In a statement, he said that although TV ims could have given impression he was “insensitive” to Von der Leyen’s uncomfortable situation. “thing could be furr from reality, r from his deepest feelings - or indeed from principles of respect which I hold so dear," he said.

(With inputs from AP)