Turkey, Germany agree to lower tensions

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Foreign ministers of Turkey and Germany have expressed a common desire to lower tensions between two countries following Ankara's sharp criticism of Berlin over a controversial ban on rallies of Turkish politicians in the country.

“We agree that none of us have an interest in causing a permanent damage to German-Turkish relations, and the current stress test in our relations can only be overcome if we enter into a dialogue based on mutual respect and factual discussion,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters Wednesday after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Berlin.

“There is no alternative to these talks. Only through these talks, and in a step-by-step fashion, we can have the opportunity to return to normalization, and actually to friendly relationship between Germans and Turks again,” Gabriel added.

The two foreign ministers held a breakfast meeting at Berlin’s Adlon Hotel amid an escalating war of words between the two countries over the banned meetings of Turkish ministers in Germany ahead of a referendum on constitutional reforms in Turkey.

Speaking at a separate press conference later in the day, Cavusoglu expressed Turkey’s desire to normalize relations with Germany, but underlined that German authorities should first put an end to their “systematic” pressure against those who favored constitutional change and transition to a presidential system of governance in Turkey.

“Nobody would benefit from deterioration of ties between our two countries, neither Turkey, nor Germany would have any benefit out of it,” he said, and underlined that he raised Ankara’s expectations during his tete-a-tete with Gabriel.

“I have conveyed our uneasiness over a systematic smear campaign against Turkey,” he said.

“Turkey and Germany are two countries which need the support of each other in almost all areas. But, we have to first decide on the following: Are we going to continue our way as two friends or end it.

“We want to continue on our way as two friends. But Germany should make a decision. And then we will take our steps accordingly,” he added.

Relations between the two countries plunged recently after German local authorities cancelled several events related to Turkey’s April 16 referendum on constitutional change that Turkish government ministers had planned to address.

Cavusoglu said he gave Gabriel on Wednesday a list of planned rallies in Germany by Turkish politicians, and now they expected from German authorities not to block these events.

The cancellation of referendum rallies caused big anger in Turkey, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan comparing the move to Nazi-era practices.

Nearly 3 million Turkish migrants live in Germany and around half are eligible to vote in the referendum, which could grant wide-ranging powers to the president.

Turkish citizens in Germany will cast their votes at consulates between March 27 and April 9.

The fallout over the referendum rallies was the latest sign of strained ties between Ankara and Berlin. Turkish politicians have also criticized Germany for turning a blind eye to terrorist organizations such as the PKK and FETO.

Tensions between the two countries further escalated last month after German media and politicians slammed Turkey for the pre-trial detention of Die Welt’s Istanbul correspondent Deniz Yucel on charges of terror propaganda.