The Federal Chancellor’s visit to Turkey
Federal Chancellor Scholz visited Turkish President Erdoğan in Istanbul. The two heads of state discussed bilateral issues and international conflicts in particular. In a joint press conference, the Federal Chancellor said that it was right and important to engage in this type of discussion.
- Transcript of press conference
- Saturday, 19 October 2024
Transcript of the press conference in German only
On Saturday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Istanbul to visit Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In their joint press conference, the Federal Chancellor pointed out that German and Turkish societies were interlinked closely. He added that the two countries were also connected through a long tradition of collaboration: “The German-Turkish friendship treaty is celebrating its 100th anniversary,” the Federal Chancellor said.
The key facts:
- Joint support for Ukraine: Germany and Turkey are standing closely by Ukraine’s side. Russia’s aggression is a threat to the entire European peace order. This is why there is a common agreement that “united and determined action within NATO” is essential, Scholz said.
- Preference for political solutions in the Middle East: De-escalation, a ceasefire and political solutions are necessary to prevent a conflagration in the Middle East. A credible political process towards a two-state solution was needed, said the Federal Chancellor, adding: “We will continue to work towards this despite any setbacks.”
- Essential commitment from Turkey: Germany will continue to support Turkey in handling the consequences of the Syrian civil war with its large number of refugees, the Federal Chancellor stated, adding that this applied both nationally and within the European Union.
- Good business relations: A bilateral trade volume of 55 billion euros was realised between Germany and Turkey last year, setting a new record. “We can and want to build on this,” Scholz said.