Berlin has a strong will to continue improving relations with Ankara, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said ahead of his trip to Turkey on Wednesday
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2018) Berlin has a strong will to continue improving relations with Ankara, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said ahead of his trip to Turkey on Wednesday.
"Due to the close bond between our societies and our multifaceted mutual interests, we have a strong will to actively continue our work on improving relations. I would like to make my contribution to this during my visit to Turkey," Maas said, as quoted by the German Foreign Ministry.
Constructive relations with Ankara were part of Berlin's strategic interests, Maas pointed out.
The German minister called Turkey not only a "big neighbor" but an important partner of Germany, relations with which had survived many challenges over the past years.
Maas concluded by expressing his concern over Turkey's human rights record, which had complicated bilateral ties. The foreign minister promised that he would also raise this issue during his visit.
The German diplomat's trip is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Over the two days, Maas is expected to meet for talks about the multilateral agenda with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the parliament speaker, Binali Yildirim.
Relations between Berlin and Ankara deteriorated following the failed coup in Turkey in July 2016. Ankara has accused Berlin of providing asylum to the coup plotters, while Berlin, in turn, has strongly criticized the detention of German journalists and human rights activists in Turkey. Another issue that undermined bilateral relations was Berlin's ban on Erdogan's campaign rallies in Germany ahead of Turkey's constitutional referendum in 2017.
