“German-Turkish relations continue to exacerbate”, says Turkologist Mushegh Khudaverdyan. Performing a historical excursion on Germany-Turkey relations, the Turkologist said: “The relations between these two states exacerbated especially in 2016 when the Bundestag recognized the Armenian Genocide. An armed revolution in Turkey was also a cause for aggravation of relations, after which many Turkish soldiers escaped to Germany and received asylum. These issues frustrated the Turkish side, and Turkey decided not to allow German parliamentarians to visit Incirlik’s military base to meet their soldiers”.
According to the speaker, the intensification of the German-Turkish relations, particularly the intensification of arrests and persecutions against the German media representatives in Turkey, also were contributed by the tension in Turkey-EU relations. “The relations between these two countries are currently at a very tense level, which has grown so much, that the German and Turkish authorities go too far insulting each other while making announcements”, said the Turkologist, adding that tensions led to Germany’s decision to impose both political and military sanctions on Turkey: “The sale of weapons to the Turkish side was banned, further development of all their economic and military projects was blocked. Germany called its citizens for thinking well before going to Turkey”.
According to the Turkologist, the Netherlands and Austria “add fuel to the fire”. According to the Turkologist, the Armenian side does not pursue any interests or goals from the German-Turkish relations.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
