President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkey’s president has called for opening a fresh page in Turkish-German relations amid an era of new global challenges.
“The dramatic developments in the world make it indispensable for both Germany and Turkey to open a new page in bilateral relations, to leave aside their differences and focus on their common interests,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wrote in an article published Wednesday in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on the eve of his arrival in Germany.
Erdoğan said both countries face similar challenges and threats such as terrorism, irregular refugee movements and trade wars.
“We are obliged to enhance our relations based on our mutual interests, in a reasonable way,” he stressed.
“Let us concentrate on our common interests, the common challenges and threats we face. With respect to our disagreements, we should keep all dialogue channels open, continue our exchanges, and by showing maximum empathy, we should try to understand our mutual sensitivities,” he added.
Erdoğan will arrive in Germany on Thursday for a high-profile state visit aiming to improve political and economic ties between the two countries.
During his three-day visit, Erdoğan will meet his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and will hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In his article, President Erdoğan renewed his call on German authorities to show more solidarity with Turkey in its fight against outlawed and terrorist groups.
Turkey is an important partner for Germany and Europe, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said on Wednesday.Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Steffen Seibert said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Germany on Sep. 27-29 would be an opportunity to discuss issues of common interest as well as differences.“Turkey is an important partner for us, it is also an important partner for Europe,” Seibert said.“It is in our fundamental interest to have an economically and politically stable Turkey, in which democracy is fully exercised,” he added.Seibert said Merkel and Erdoğan would discuss bilateral issues and regional developments during their meetings on Friday and Saturday.President Erdoğan will arrive in Berlin on Thursday for a three-day state visit aiming to improve political and economic relations between the two countries.Relations between Ankara and Berlin suffered several setbacks in past years, but both sides have taken steps in recent months towards improving ties.Erdoğan will be accompanied by key ministers during the visit, including ministers responsible for economy, finance, trade and industry.EU heavyweight Germany remains Turkey’s main economic and trade partner. In 2017, the bilateral trade volume reached €37.6 billion ($43.6 billion).Germany prepares for Turkish President Erdoğan’s visitGermany delays tender for military helicopters
Germany says Turkey is important partner for us, Europe
“We expect Germany to extend its support to Turkey in its fight against terrorist groups such as FETÖ, PKK and DHKP-C, which are also a threat to Germany’s domestic security and target German citizens,” he said.
He also warned against the propaganda activities of PKK and FETÖ followers in Germany.
“The PKK and FETÖ members and their organizations are using various instruments, including manipulations and fake news, to sabotage our bilateral relations,” he said.
Germany’s reluctance to take serious measures against terrorist groups such as the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) has been a source of tension between the two countries in the last two years.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will arrive in Germany on Thursday for a high-profile state visit aiming to improve political and economic relations between the two countries.During his three-day visit, Erdoğan will meet his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and will hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.He is scheduled to meet with representatives of Turkish community and the CEOs of major German companies, separately.In Berlin, Erdoğan will receive a warm welcome, including a military honor guard and a state dinner hosted by Steinmeier at the presidential palace Schloss Bellevue.Turkey to continue buying Iranian gas: ErdoğanChancellor Merkel will host a lunch for Erdoğan at the Chancellory on Friday, and the two leaders will meet again on Saturday morning for a working breakfast to discuss bilateral and international issues.Erdoğan’s visit comes at a time of growing tensions between the U.S. and Germany over President Donald Trump’s unilateral moves in foreign policy and his imposition of additional tariffs on foreign goods.Developments in Syria, cooperation in addressing the refugee crisis, economic and trade relations between Turkey and Germany would be among other topics on the agenda.On Saturday, Erdoğan will travel to the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has a large Turkish immigrant population.In Cologne, Erdoğan will attend the inauguration ceremony of Cologne Central Mosque, run by Turkish-German Muslim association DITIB.Video: Erdoğan to inaugurate one of Europe’s largest mosques in Germany
Germany prepares for Turkish President Erdoğan’s visit
Both terrorist groups use Germany, which is home to more than 3 million migrants from Turkey, as a platform for their propaganda fundraising and recruitment activities.
Relations between Ankara and Berlin have suffered setbacks in past years, but both sides have taken steps in recent months towards improving ties.
Erdoğan will be accompanied by key aides during his visit, including the ministers responsible for the economy, finance, trade, and industry.
EU heavyweight Germany remains Turkey’s main economic and trade partner. In 2017, the bilateral trade volume reached €37.6 billion ($43.6 billion).
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will inaugurate in the German city of Cologne one of the largest mosques in Europe on Saturday.The Cologne Central Mosque, built by Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) after eight years of construction work, has a capacity of 1,200 people.“It will be the most important and one of the largest mosques in Europe and Germany. It has a symbolic meaning for our Muslim brothers living here,” Nevzat Yasar Asikoglu, chairman of the DITIB, told reporters.“Our mosque also symbolizes peace, brotherhood as well as the culture of co-existence,” he said.Turkish president meets UN chief in New YorkAsikoglu said those who visit the mosque are impressed by interior adornment of the mosque in which Seljuk motif was predominantly used.The mosque has nine entrances and there is a crescent and a star in the middle of its dome.The 17,000 square-meter mosque complex also has a shopping center, an exhibition and a seminar hall, a 600-people capacity conference hall, a library, working offices and a car park on the ground floor.Video: Erdoğan to inaugurate one of Europe’s largest mosques in GermanyGermany, a country of over 81 million people, has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France.Among the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, three million are of Turkish origin. Many of them are second or third-generations of Turkish families who migrated to Germany in the 1960s, and are said to be well integrated in the country.Erdoğan meets Japanese, Iranian leaders
Erdoğan to inaugurate mosque in Germany on Saturday