Ankara tells Berlin not to interfere in its affairs

Istanbul, July 23: Germany has no right to interfere in Turkey’s domestic affairs, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, his latest broadside in a blistering row sparked by the waves of arrests under the current state of emergency.

Several German nationals are among those being held and Berlin has warned its citizens that their safety cannot be guaranteed in Turkey and that consular access is not assured in case of arrest.

Throwing away any pretence at diplomatic nuance, German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel had Thursday also warned German firms against investment in Turkey and spoke of an “overhaul” of the entire relationship.

“Turkey is a social democratic state based on law and no one has the right to interfere in its internal affairs,” said Mr Erdogan. Addressing Mr Gabriel’s comments, he said: “We (Turkey and Germany) are together in Nato. We (Turkey) are in negotiations to join the EU.

“So, the strategic partnership between us is nothing new. We have been partners for a long time. No step should be taken to overshadow this partnership.”

In an interview with the daily Bild, however, Germany’s powerful finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Mr Erdogan that he was “jeopardising the centuries-old partnership between Turkey and Germany”.

“It is truly dramatic— there is actually so much that connects us. But we will not be blackmailed,” he said, according to extracts of the interview to be published on Monday.

The German Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimated that the prevailing uncertainty would likely wipe 2 billion euros ($2.3 billon) off bilateral trade, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported.