“The new government will not lead to any change in Turkish-German relations. The two countries and their leaders know each other; relations will remain on the same track,” Erdoğan was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as telling international broadcaster CNBC yesterday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) are in talks to form the country's next coalition government after last month's election. Observers say the new coalition is likely to be a bigger obstacle to Turkey's membership in the European Union because the FDP is a less enthusiastic supporter of Turkish accession than Merkel's ex-coalition partner, the Social Democrats. Merkel's CDU favors a privileged partnership, rather than full membership.
Erdoğan said Turkey remained committed to its goal of EU membership but that it might reconsider its stance if EU countries decide that they do not want Turkey as a member. Erdoğan also said Turkey did not want nuclear weapons in its region, neither in Iran nor in Israel. “Turkey and Iran have had friendly ties for centuries … but we don't want Iran or Israel or another country in our region to have nuclear weapons,” he said.
The prime minister also reiterated that Iran should not be the sole target in nuclear debates. Referring to his statements during the UN General Assembly in New York last month, Erdoğan said: “Why don't we talk about Israel? They have nuclear weapons. They used phosphorous shells in Gaza. I said, ‘Should we remain silent if chemical weapons kill people in Gaza and speak out if this happens somewhere else?' For us, Palestinians are as important as Israel and Israel's interests.”
