Chancellor Merkel gets award from Turkish body

BERLIN - Anatolia News Agency

Chancellor Merkel stresses coexistence in award ceremony. AP photo

German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday received the Turkish-German Friendship Award “Kybile 2013” from the Turkish-German Friendship Association, which stressed that she was “the prime minister of all people living in Germany.”

The award was given for Merkel’s works during her eight year tenure. “This is not only an honor for me but also an incentive,” she said during the award ceremony.

Underlining that one-fifth of people living in Germany were migrants, most being of Turkish origin, Merkel said they put “harmony and coexistence” issues at the center of their agenda. She stressed that the topic was being managed carefully by the Prime Ministry, adding that scores of activities had been performed on the issue of integration, with the help of the Federal Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Maria Böhmer.

Much needed to be done in integration

“I’ve said before to Turkish origin people: ‘I am your chancellor.’ Whether they’re German citizens or not, I’m the chancellor of all people who live in Germany,” Merkel said.

She admitted that there was much that needed to be done on the integration issue, though there had been some improvements, and also added that Turks should themselves counter the prejudice against them. “We have always stressed that we want Turks living in Germany to have their opportunities to contribute to society,” Merkel said.