Turkish-German ties ‘depend on anti-terror cooperation’

BERLIN

Turkey wants normalized relations with Germany and expects Berlin to show more solidarity with Ankara in the fight against terrorism, Turkey’s Ambassador to Berlin Ali Kemal Aydın said Oct. 30.

“Despite all our differences and problems recently, it is our common hope to begin normalizing our relations through mutual steps,” Aydın said at a reception at the Turkish Embassy in Berlin marking Turkey’s Republic Day.

He stressed that Ankara had clear expectations from Berlin in the fight against terrorism namely the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

“As we are now in a critically important period and fighting more than one terrorist organization, for us, the security of our country is above everything,” he said.

“We expect from our friends to stand with us, show understanding and solidarity with Turkey. It wouldn’t be realistic to hope for progress in our relations without achieving cooperation in this area at a basic level,” he added.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in recent months, with Turkish leaders slamming Germany for turning a blind eye to the activities of outlawed groups and terrorist organizations.

German politicians, on the other hand, sharpened their criticism of Ankara ahead of general elections in Germany last month, raising concerns over human rights issues amid the arrest of journalists and human rights activists on terror charges.