France joins EU in criticising Turkish ban on Twitter

The French government on Friday echoed statements by the European Union Council in Brussels, expressing shock at Turkey's action to shut down the Twitter network after it had published reports on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.France has in past weeks several times warned Turkey that it must respect fundamental freedoms and rights of free expression and peaceful assembly. Paris told Ankara that it must be in line with these principles especially as it is in talks about joining the European Union.The decision to block the Twitter network will like exacerbate tensions over alleged lapses in democratic practices in Turkey.Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said that "the shocking decision" by Turkish authorities contradicted "freedom of expression and communication which are fundamental principles." Twitter had transmitted reports that presented accounts of telephone conversations that alleged the Turkish Prime Minister knew of corruption among close advisors.