ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The German Ministry of the Interior believes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) are working with and supporting militant Islamist groups in the Middle East, according to a confidential statement seen by Germany’s public broadcaster.
“As a result of the gradually Islamized domestic and foreign policy of Ankara since 2011, Turkey has become the central platform for action for Islamist groups in the Middle East,” reads a confidential statement from the interior ministry in answer to parliamentary questions from the Die Linke party.
The ministry accused Erdogan and the AKP of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and “the armed Islamist opposition groups in Syria,” adds the statement viewed by Germany’s state broadcaster ARD, thus drawing a direct connection between Erdogan and a terrorist organization.
The position of the interior ministry was reportedly based on information from Germany’s intelligence service.
Turkey’s foreign ministry responded on Wednesday, demanding clarification from Germany, saying that the accusations are “evidence of the biased attitude that, for some time now, attempts to demoralize our country while taking aim at our president and government.”
The ministry asserted that Turkey “always fights terror sincerely regardless of the origin.”
The release of the document has caused a row within Germany’s government. The interior ministry admitted it should have consulted with the foreign ministry on the matter as the issues lie under the foreign ministry’s purview.
A spokesperson from the foreign ministry, Sawsan Chebli, distanced her ministry from the allegations. “On what has been published in the media, we do not share the assessment as a whole.”
The interior ministry has declined to confirm the allegations but stressed the importance of the relationship with Turkey in the war against Islamic State. “We are deeply convinced that Turkey is the most important partner with regards to the fight against the so-called Islamic State group,” said Johannes Dimroth, interior ministry spokesperson.
Relations between Germany and Turkey are tense. Germany wants to keep up good ties with Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been accused of holding back on criticism of Turkey and Erdogan in order to salvage the deal between Turkey and the EU to solve the migrant crisis, a deal championed by Merkel that now appears to be breathing its dying breaths.
German troops involved in the global anti-ISIS coalition are stationed at Turkey’s Incirlik airbase, another reason to maintain friendly ties with Ankara.
But Germany angered Turkey earlier this year when the German parliament voted to recognize the Armenian genocide. The two countries have also clashed recently over issues of freedom of expression and Ankara’s crackdown after the failed coup of July 15.
“As a result of the gradually Islamized domestic and foreign policy of Ankara since 2011, Turkey has become the central platform for action for Islamist groups in the Middle East,” reads a confidential statement from the interior ministry in answer to parliamentary questions from the Die Linke party.
The ministry accused Erdogan and the AKP of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and “the armed Islamist opposition groups in Syria,” adds the statement viewed by Germany’s state broadcaster ARD, thus drawing a direct connection between Erdogan and a terrorist organization.
The position of the interior ministry was reportedly based on information from Germany’s intelligence service.
Turkey’s foreign ministry responded on Wednesday, demanding clarification from Germany, saying that the accusations are “evidence of the biased attitude that, for some time now, attempts to demoralize our country while taking aim at our president and government.”
The ministry asserted that Turkey “always fights terror sincerely regardless of the origin.”
The release of the document has caused a row within Germany’s government. The interior ministry admitted it should have consulted with the foreign ministry on the matter as the issues lie under the foreign ministry’s purview.
A spokesperson from the foreign ministry, Sawsan Chebli, distanced her ministry from the allegations. “On what has been published in the media, we do not share the assessment as a whole.”
The interior ministry has declined to confirm the allegations but stressed the importance of the relationship with Turkey in the war against Islamic State. “We are deeply convinced that Turkey is the most important partner with regards to the fight against the so-called Islamic State group,” said Johannes Dimroth, interior ministry spokesperson.
Relations between Germany and Turkey are tense. Germany wants to keep up good ties with Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been accused of holding back on criticism of Turkey and Erdogan in order to salvage the deal between Turkey and the EU to solve the migrant crisis, a deal championed by Merkel that now appears to be breathing its dying breaths.
German troops involved in the global anti-ISIS coalition are stationed at Turkey’s Incirlik airbase, another reason to maintain friendly ties with Ankara.
But Germany angered Turkey earlier this year when the German parliament voted to recognize the Armenian genocide. The two countries have also clashed recently over issues of freedom of expression and Ankara’s crackdown after the failed coup of July 15.
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