PARIS, JAN 05  (DNA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attempt to reset relations with Europe at talks with France s Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday that are likely to be overshadowed by human rights concerns.

The meeting at the Elysee Palace is likely to take in Syria, terrorism and trade, but Macron is also expected to emphasise Europe s alarm over Turkey s sweeping post-coup purges.

It is Erdogan s first visit to France since the botched putsch against him in 2016 and one of only a handful to Europe since the attempted army takeover as well as a fierce row with Germany, which Erdogan accused of “Nazi practices”.

Macron has drawn criticism over his invitation to the Turkish strongman, who has presided over the arrest of tens of thousands of officials, academics, journalists and activists at home.

“Erdogan is not welcome in Paris,” the leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, tweeted ahead of the visit, expressing solidarity with jailed journalists and pro-Kurdish activists and politicians.