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| Boris Johnson lauds his Turkish washing machine on first visit to Ankara | Boris Johnson lauds his Turkish washing machine on first visit to Ankara |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Months after winning a competition for an offensive poem about the Turkish head of state, British foreign secretary Boris Johnson was on a mission to re-build bridges during his first official visit to Ankara. | Months after winning a competition for an offensive poem about the Turkish head of state, British foreign secretary Boris Johnson was on a mission to re-build bridges during his first official visit to Ankara. |
| But in typical style Johnson eschewed the usually staid diplomatic discourse and went his own way, praising the nation for producing his “beautiful, very well functioning Turkish washing machine.” | But in typical style Johnson eschewed the usually staid diplomatic discourse and went his own way, praising the nation for producing his “beautiful, very well functioning Turkish washing machine.” |
| Speaking at a news conference in Ankara alongside Turkish EU affairs minister Omer Celik, Johnson talked up the relationship between the two nations as crucial even after Britain’s vote to leave the EU. | Speaking at a news conference in Ankara alongside Turkish EU affairs minister Omer Celik, Johnson talked up the relationship between the two nations as crucial even after Britain’s vote to leave the EU. |
| “We are lucky in the United Kingdom to be one of the biggest recipients of Turkish goods,” said the former mayor of London, who has Turkish ancestry. | “We are lucky in the United Kingdom to be one of the biggest recipients of Turkish goods,” said the former mayor of London, who has Turkish ancestry. |
| “I am certainly the proud possessor of a beautiful, very well functioning Turkish washing machine,” he said. | |
| Johnson did not reveal the brand of the much-loved machine in his household but several Turkish brands in household goods have broken into the international market in recent years. | Johnson did not reveal the brand of the much-loved machine in his household but several Turkish brands in household goods have broken into the international market in recent years. |
| As another example of the strong relationship, Johnson said Turkey every year receives 2.5 million British tourists. | As another example of the strong relationship, Johnson said Turkey every year receives 2.5 million British tourists. |
| “It’s an extraordinary act of kindness, if I may say,” he said with typical humour. “I hope they (the tourists) behave themselves...well... I am sure they do.” | “It’s an extraordinary act of kindness, if I may say,” he said with typical humour. “I hope they (the tourists) behave themselves...well... I am sure they do.” |
| Johnson had in May penned the winning entry in a competition on offensive poetry about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, published by the conservative British magazine The Spectator, aimed at demonstrating free speech to Ankara. | Johnson had in May penned the winning entry in a competition on offensive poetry about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, published by the conservative British magazine The Spectator, aimed at demonstrating free speech to Ankara. |
| The limerick, published by the Spectator as a rebuff to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to prosecute a German comedian’s offensive poem, included a line about about the Turkish president having sex with a goat and also called the president a “wankerer” | The limerick, published by the Spectator as a rebuff to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to prosecute a German comedian’s offensive poem, included a line about about the Turkish president having sex with a goat and also called the president a “wankerer” |
| It was published during the campaign in the referendum for Britain to leave the European Union which Johnson helped to lead and eventually win. | It was published during the campaign in the referendum for Britain to leave the European Union which Johnson helped to lead and eventually win. |
| Turkish officials at the time played down any damage in the two countries’ relationship, saying British-Turkish ties were too important to be hostage to such statements. | Turkish officials at the time played down any damage in the two countries’ relationship, saying British-Turkish ties were too important to be hostage to such statements. |
| Johnson, who joked that he and Celik were both descendants of Ottomans, is due to meet Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday. | Johnson, who joked that he and Celik were both descendants of Ottomans, is due to meet Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday. |
| Agence France-Presse contributed to this report | Agence France-Presse contributed to this report |