Dialogue crucial for Ankara-Berlin ties, German minister says

German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth said yesterday in a statement that cooperation and dialogue between Turkey and Germany should continue despite disagreements on certain issues.

"Despite all of the difficulties, Turkey and Germany should remain in close cooperation on important issues. It is more crucial now to carry out dialogue with our partners in Turkey," Roth said before the visit.Roth arrived in Turkey yesterday for a two-day visit to meet with Turkish officials and nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives. According to the statement released by the German Foreign Ministry, Roth was scheduled to meet with EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik, politicians from opposition parties and NGO representatives. No further information was given regarding discussion topics.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained since the defeated coup in Turkey on July 15, 2016 as Turkish politicians have criticized their German counterparts for failing to show strong enough solidarity with Ankara against the attempted military takeover in 2016. Recently, German authorities also voiced positions against Turkish politicians seeking to carry out election campaigns in Germany for the upcoming June 24 elections. Turkey has accused German authorities of having double standards when it comes to the democratic rights of Turkish citizens living in Germany.

In addition, Ankara has also criticized Berlin for ignoring outlawed groups such as the PKK and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which continue to operate freely in Germany. Berlin, on the other hand, has criticized Turkey on issues of press freedom, human rights and the continuation of the state of emergency.