The attempt of the President of Turkey, against Turkey, critical German in EU countries, failed for the time being. A swift Action has also contributed, says Jens Thurau.
When a politician refers to the other as paranoid, that is mostly simply outrageous. Now, when SPD leader, Martin Schulz, entitled the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the truth is very close.
Nothing works between Berlin and Ankara. Over many months, the German government raised any diplomatic effort, all the provocations and reserved in tone, the manners, and self-denial – then it changed a few weeks ago the course. Now she calls things by name: If German citizens to be arrested on ridiculous charges in Turkey, such as the human rights activist Peter Steudtner, speaks about the SPD candidate for Chancellor, Schulz is now open of the “hostages”. And the Federal government warns against travel to Turkey.
This course achieved change, so it had at least some of the time seems, in Ankara, is quite effective. The tone was more moderate: after all, Turkey may benefit from a German tourist on the involvement of German companies.
Jens Thurau is a correspondent in the DW-capital Studio
But recently, the pendulum struck back: First, Erdogan called on the eligible voters of Turkish origin German to choose in the General election in September, neither the Union nor the SPD or the Green in his eyes, all enemies of Turkey. Clear: The Union stands for Erdogan’s Nemesis, Angela Merkel, and the SPD combines the autocrat on the Bosphorus, especially with the foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, whose language was always clearer than that of his predecessor, the current Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. And for the Green one of the in the Turkey is probably the most-hated German politician, party leader Cem Özdemir. He is there for Erdogan, and many other nationalist Turks simply a traitor to your own people, even if he has never lived in Turkey.
A new Dimension
A new Dimension is now the arrest of the German writer Dogan Akhanli during a holiday in Spain. To support, at the instigation probably of Erdogan and the accusation of terrorists, what else? Meanwhile, Akhanli is free again, even if he is not allowed to leave Spain for the time being.
Form legally may be the procedure correct: Turkey had to put on the Interpol international arrest warrant against the writer had obtained the Spanish authorities had Searched only once. But the discomfort remains, how is it even possible that someone like Akhanli this warrant is issued. Of course, the EU member States work together in the security policy, and also with Turkey, but in the core actually correct cooperation needs to be reviewed in the light of the Discipline of the Turkish government.
A small consolation
For the Moment, remains clear: The clear language of the German is correct, whether at the verbal gaffes of the Turkish President, or, in the case of arbitrary arrests. Foreign Minister Gabriel had turned on personally immediately in the case of Akhanli, demanded the release and at the very least consular assistance. This is not remained in Spain, apparently without effect. Good.
In Turkey, detained a German, for the journalist Deniz Yücel, for example, or the human rights activist Peter Steudtner, has brought the new clear language, however, is no good news, even if the conditions of detention for Steudtner were now a little loose. And the sad truth is that In these cases, the Germans are bound ultimately to the hands. But, in any case, it seems as if Erdogan is expanding its paranoid hunt for all the Germans, who he sees as enemies of his government, now also to other countries in the EU. A small consolation, but still.
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