Türkiye criticises Germany's anti-terror efforts, expects 'concrete steps'

Ankara expects its allies to support its anti-terror efforts rather than just saying "we understand your concerns", says Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who came to Istanbul for a working visit. (AA)

Türkiye has voiced concerns over Germany's counter-terrorism efforts and said it expects concrete steps.

"We see an increase in (terrorist) PKK activities in Germany, and have conveyed Türkiye's concerns ... we expect concrete action," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Istanbul on Friday.

Cavusoglu said Türkiye expects its allies to support its anti-terror efforts rather than just saying "we understand your concerns."

Türkiye expects the European Union to lift political obstacles for its membership in the bloc, Cavusoglu said, and also conveyed Ankara's apprehensions over rising xenophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe.

Cavusoglu on Greek pushbacks of migrants:

- Greek propoganda shouldn't lead to imbalance
- Frontex is complicit in Greek migrants pushbacks
- Greece not able to respond to int law pic.twitter.com/lrYNcKCpiE

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) July 29, 2022

On Greek propaganda

Cavusoglu urged Germany to be wary of provocations and propaganda by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing for the need for a balanced stance.

Arguing that Germany lost its impartiality, Cavusoglu said: "Germany should keep its balanced attitude regarding the Aegean and East Mediterranean."

The Turkish minister said that turning a blind eye to Greece's human rights abuses is violation of international law.

"Greece's pushbacks, leaving people to die does not amount to protecting EU borders. It is inhumane to turn a blind eye ... I would've respected if the minister (Baerbock) mentioned about European Convention on Human Rights' decisions that have not been implemented in Greece for 14 years (on Turkish minority)," Cavusoglu said.

The top Turkish diplomat also mentioned Greek militarisation of Eastern Aegean islands, and lambasted Germany for siding with Athens "just because it is an EU member."

She also called praised the recent Ankara-brokered Ukraine grain deal, saying it was a "great success."

READ MORE: Germany's remarks on Ankara-Athens relations ‘unacceptable’: Türkiye

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/turkiye-criticises-germanys-anti-terror-efforts-expects-concrete-steps/?feed_id=3984&_unique_id=62e432c703e5e

Türkiye expects Russia, Ukraine to implement grain export deal: President

ANKARA

Türkiye’s president on Monday called on the parties who signed a deal last week to unblock Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports to respect and implement the pact.

"We expect everyone to take ownership of their signatures and act in accordance with their responsibilities," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a live interview with national broadcaster TRT Haber.

"With this agreement, the effects of the global food crisis, which is reaching serious dimensions, will begin to ease," he added.

On Friday, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a landmark deal to resume grain exports through the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny after months of blockage due to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its sixth month.

Under the deal, a joint coordination center was set up in Istanbul to carry out inspections at the entrances and exits of harbors, and to ensure the safety of the routes.

Addressing Russia's weekend attack on the port of Odesa, Erdogan said it "saddens" Türkiye, adding that "a failure here would work against all of us."

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Source https://www.globalcourant.com/turkiye-expects-russia-ukraine-to-implement-grain-export-deal-president/?feed_id=2038&_unique_id=62def6d1b7cfd