Comment

Boris Johnson butt of jokes on Turkey trip

by David Hannay | 29.09.2016
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • +1
  • LinkedIn 0
  • Email

The foreign secretary’s post-Brexit crash course on trade policy seems to have come up short, judging by some of the things he said on his visit to Turkey this week.

For one thing Boris Johnson told the Turks that post-Brexit we would be able to have a “jumbo free trade area”. Did noone brief the foreign secretary that we already have a jumbo free trade area with Turkey as part of our EU membership? That is no doubt why he bought the Turkish washing machine of which he is so proud. But we will lose that free trade when we leave.

What’s more, the Turks will not be able to negotiate free trade with us thereafter since they are bound by their customs union agreement with the EU to follow exactly the latter’s trade policy decisions. So the terms of our trade with Turkey will be set by the agreement we reach with the EU.

As to his offer to help with Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, what on earth was that intended to mean? As a non-member we will have no say over those negotiations. And the experience of the United States who have been vociferous advocates of Turkey’s accession is that they have done more harm than good by it.

Diplomacy is a serious profession. It does have its lighter moments. But it is better not to be the butt of the joke.

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • +1
  • LinkedIn 0
  • Email

Edited by Hugo Dixon

Tags: Categories: Articles, Post-Brexit

5 Responses to “Boris Johnson butt of jokes on Turkey trip”

  • The cunning Baldrick plan is that free trade with Turkey should be made subject to conditions to be negotiated with the EU. Long live “taking back control! The EU was about tenth in the list of popular concerns until a year ago. Now that we are shaking off the shackles, it is going to dominate our politics for 20 years or more.

  • Hey! Boris ya big buffoon! You might have been praising your Turkish built washing machine while you were in Turkey…. but…

    You ONLY have it because we are a member of the EU!

    The Turks will not be able to negotiate free trade with us after we leave the EU since they are bound by their customs union agreement with the EU. So the terms of our trade with Turkey will be set by whatever horrendous trade agreement David Davis reaches with the EU in about a decade from now.

    Maybe you could let Liam Fox know about this too?

  • As Turkey are not joining the EU,(quoted by both Angela Merrkel and the stay campaign ) because they don’t meet the requirements of EU membership, I don’t see why you think Borris has said anythink daft, unless you have information that Turkey is definitely joining the EU ??