Erdoğan events in Germany are ‘inappropriate’ outside G20: German FM

The German government believes it would be “inappropriate” for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to make public appearances in Germany outside the G20 summit given current tensions between the two NATO allies, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on June 29.


Turkey had officially requested permission on June 28 for Erdoğan to address Turkish citizens living in Germany during his visit, despite Gabriel’s advice to Ankara two weeks ago to skip such a formal request, Gabriel told reporters traveling with him in Russia.

He said the German government did not want Turkish citizens and dual nationals living in Germany to be unsettled.

The German foreign minister’s remarks follow a call from Martin Schulz, the leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) and candidate for chancellor, for a ban on a potential major event by Erdoğan in Germany.

“Foreign politicians who trample on our values at home must not be allowed a stage for speeches in Germany. I don’t want Mr. Erdoğan, who jails opposition politicians and journalists in Turkey, to hold large-scale events in Germany,” Schulz told German daily Bild on June 28.

He also said rallies by the president should be banned as a matter of principle, not because of any other external cause.

  [hurriyetdailynews.com]

29/6/17