Ankara, Berlin seek solid anti-terror ties

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The Turkish-German intel ties were questioned after an attack of the US embassy in Ankara. daily News Photo

Despite disappointment on the Turkish side due to “insufficient” counterterrorism cooperation, institutional efforts by Ankara and Berlin to strengthen this cooperation appear to be on track.

Turkey and Germany have agreed to hold joint seminars between related officials in order to reach a better mutual understanding in handling the terror problem and overcome gaps in information.

The idea came forward during German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich’s visit to Ankara last week, during which he met with his Turkish counterpart Muammer Güler. The proposal came from the German side and work has since started on the details. Workshops will be planned to enable the related officials to meet face to face and explain their perspectives.

Güler has asked for an easing of the currently complicated extradition process for PKK members living in Germany. The Turkish side has repeatedly emphasized that German law enforcement against suspected terrorists is not proceeding forcefully enough.

The parties have agreed for more “intense dialogue” on Turkey’s concerns, with the Turkish Interior Ministry planning to send a list to Berlin of those it seeks the extradition of.

Turkey informed Germany last December of its suspicions about a possible attack by Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (DHKP-C) members, who had been staying in Germany until a few months before the Feb. 1 bombing of the United States Embassy in Ankara, which killed a Turkish security guard and seriously injuring three other individuals.