SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew back to Turkey early on Monday, state-owned Anadolu agency reported, instead of travelling to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
Erdogan was expected to lead a Turkish delegation on Monday and Tuesday on the climate change negotiations being attended by world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
An official told Reuters that there had been protocol issues over the president’s planned attendance at the meeting.
The Turkish presidency gave no reason for Erdogan’s unscheduled return.
Middle East Eye cited two people as saying that the organizers put restrictions on the size of the Turkish delegation as well as motorized vehicles that could be used by the Turkish officials during the conference.
The host British government at the weekend backtracked and told its Turkish counterparts that it would apply the same protocol used by the U.S. president to Erdogan, the media outlet reported.
The sources said the British government changed its mind again and Erdogan decided to cancel, according to Middle East Eye.
The Turkish environment minister and other high-ranking officials are expected to attend the conference, despite the absence of Erdogan.
