Another instance of deterioration in bilateral relations can be found in Turkish-German relations, though not in comparable terms to the deterioration in Azerbaijani-Turkish relations. No one should try to use some diplomatic jargon to argue the contrary: our relations are getting worse each day, and in my opinion this is not only against the interests of both countries, but it also does not befit the joint ties established by more than 3 million Turks living in Germany, not to mention the commercial potential worth billions of dollars.Unfortunately, after losing mutual trust, even the slightest problem may grow into a major issue. The relations between the two societies are further strained, particularly due to negative sentiments injected by media organizations in their respective societies. If this had only affected Turkish and German societies distanced from each other by geography, one may not have settled on this issue. But this is not the case. The negative mood has been building additional walls between Turks and Germans living next to each other in Germany, undermining the frequently voiced aim of ensuring integration between the two.
I do not propose to arrive at a judgment by departing from simple news. As a person who has closely monitored Turkish foreign policy for several years, I can sense the involvement of more deep-running factors in the current issue. Those who do not agree with us are invited to present their ideas so that we can benefit from them.
According to what I observe, both sides have difficulty in weighing each other's significance. Should we attribute this to both countries being heirs to empires which once competed with each other? Or should we treat it as a consequence of the eternal US-German competition that is frequently underlined? Or should we hold the image of Turks who immigrated from rural areas of Turkey to Germany in the 1960s and who had tried to survive in this foreign country as responsible for preventing Germans from seeing the new Turkey? I don't know.
One who examines the German position toward Turkey can easily discern the fact that Turkey is being ignored, and additional efforts are being made to prevent the improvement of relations with Turkey and to diminish its increasing regional role. Reason: a sort of jealousy, misconception, competition or hatred?
Last week, I discussed this conviction of mine with a group of distinguished journalists and academics from Germany. Jokingly, I told them that this would be the first question I would ask an official from the German "deep state." I added that German foreign policy attaches far greater importance to Iran, which is seen by the West as a whipping boy, than to Turkey.
My observations were somewhat verified by their reaction. Süleyman Bağ, our Berlin reporter, who knows the mood in Germany intimately as he has lived there for a long time, told the German journalists that my observations were correct. As proof, he showed them the new book by Germany's foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, where he describes his experiences in foreign policy. I have yet to buy and read it. But our reporter said this book allotted no space to Turkey.
However, for Turkey, there are more than 3 million Turks living in Germany. It is also one of our most important trade partners. It is the country that sends the highest number of tourists to our coastal regions. It is one of three major powers in Europe. If we want to promote the EU process, we cannot make much progress by fighting with Germany.
For Germany, Turkey is the homeland of more than 3 million people living in its territory. It is a dominant player in a region stretching from the Balkans to the Caucasus and from Central Asia to the Middle East. It is an indispensable player with respect to relations with the Muslim world and access to energy resources. It is a source of labor that will prop up its aging population. It has a big market of 70 million people. It cannot be easily swept aside.
Why does Germany keep away from Turkey while the UK, Sweden, Spain and even Greece are trying to come close to it, having understood its significance? If the problem is related to the competition between the two countries in some areas, such as the Balkans and the Middle East, can't we manage it more effectively? There is also competition between Ankara and the Kremlin and between Turkey and Iran. But our relations with these two countries are better than our relationship with Germany.
If the parties are aware of the deterioration, then they should figure out the factors that are poisoning the relations in the first place. We'll discuss these factors further with the emphasis on media relations and Ergenekon in the next article.
