Erdogan's Visit to Berlin Amid Tensions in German-Turkish Relations

While German-Turkish relations have been tense in recent years, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, arrived in Berlin on Friday, October 6, for a three-day visit and met with the German President and Chancellor. Both sides participated in a joint press conference after their discussions, and despite emphasizing their differing viewpoints, they called for an improvement in bilateral relations. Angela Merkel, referring to the continued detention of several German citizens in Turkey, stated that establishing good relations would benefit both countries and serve the strategic interests of both sides. Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the improvement in diplomatic relations, stating that 'thousands of Kurdish militants' and 'hundreds of individuals linked to the Gulen network' live in Germany, and Berlin should assist Ankara 'in the fight against terrorism.' In response, Angela Merkel noted that her country considers the PKK a 'terrorist group' but mentioned that German officials have received information from the Turkish President regarding the Gulen network and will seriously investigate it, 'but more evidence is needed.' Turkish media had previously reported that Erdogan would ask German officials to include the Fethullah Gulen network in the list of terrorist organizations during this visit. On the other hand, Merkel referred to the issue of imprisoned German journalists in Turkey as one of the points of contention between the two countries. Reports indicate that at least seven German citizens have been detained and imprisoned in Turkey over the past two years following the failed coup, with German officials stating these detentions were 'politically motivated.' The Syrian crisis is also another point of disagreement between the two countries; however, Merkel mentioned in the press conference that both sides agreed to hold a quadrilateral conference on Syria in the coming weeks, which will also include the leaders of Russia and France. According to reports, including from Reuters, Erdogan's efforts to improve relations with Europe have increased following tensions in his relations with the United States, which led to a financial crisis. Erdogan's visit to Berlin, which came directly after his attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, will last three days.