Turkey Needs More French Tourists for ‘Yes’

The ambassador said that he receives many letters from French tourists after holidays in Turkey saying they had been given a false impression of the country, and that everything can change in 10 years. The Ambassador stressed the necessity of Turkey’s hard work to change its image and get itself to be liked. Poudade remarked those who do approach it negatively do not know Turkey, and pointed out that the numbers of French tourists remains around 500,000, whereas the numbers of German tourists are at 5 million and 1,5 million from Russia every year. "Very few French tourists come to Turkey, but these tourists write letters saying ‘We had false information about Turkey’, when they return. It would be a positive contribution to its image if Turkey focuses on presentation for tourism field," the French ambassador remarked.

Saying "Our President Jacques Chirac is also a friend of Turkey," the Ambassador asserted that the French public’s negative opinions about Turkey’s EU membership would not affect state policy. "Our policy is in favor of Turkey’s EU membership, if it fulfills the necessary criteria," Poudade said. He also claimed that if Turkey answers the requirements of the EU, then the referendum in France would not be necessary.