German Finance Minister says row with Turkey makes economic aid difficult

[webfact]

German Finance Minister says row with Turkey makes economic aid difficult

REUTERS

 

German Finance Minister German Wolfgang Schaeuble attends a news conference following a meeting at the Bercy Ministry in Paris, France, February 22, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/Files

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday it was difficult to continue working with Turkey on economic aid because of the row over Turkish ministers campaigning in EU countries and the arrest of a German-Turkish journalist in Turkey.

 

"In these circumstances it is of course extremely difficult to continue working on that," he told Germany's ZDF public broadcaster. "We don't want to escalate it, everyone in the German government is agreed, we only want Turkey to return to reason."

 

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Andrew Roche)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-13

[jollyhangmon]

Well, crank it seriously down then, problem 'solved'.

What more reasons do you need after being called Nazis by a disgusting creep who puts the good old GESTAPO in the deep shade ...?!

[Saradoc1972]

It's one of the rare instances I actually do agree with Chancellor Merkel. As in: don't play Erdowahn's game, don't escalate the situation. Be like Teflon, let him drop off. She is really good at being like Teflon, world-class, actually.

 

Turks are (generally speaking, there's too many of them to be all the same) prone to being nationalistic, very much so. So Erdo plays a game of "we against the rest of the world, all Turks must rally behind me, they are trying to keep us down, despite Turkey being the greatest nation on earth". Sounds familiar, 1933, just wasn't about Turkey.

 

Germany saw a couple of attempts by Turkish ministers to deliver speeches in Germany to Erdo-adherents over the last two weeks. Just it was not the federal government to fend them off, not even the states, it was the towns, like Gaggenau, on a communal level. German government could, obviously enough, have done the same the Netherlands did, forbid those Turkish officials to enter, fully within international right, but didn't.

 

Now, those rallying places, like hotels, halls, stadiums had already been booked for months on some pretense, like theater by some Turkish artists, it just did not work out. Bookings got cancelled because the operator was not allowed to host political meetings by its very own statutes, municipalities forbade meetings for lack of sufficient parking spaces, at one location there happened to be a a control by the fire-brigade, and there just weren't enough fire-extinguishers on site. So sad the proprietor apparently was unable to just buy the additional fire-extinguishers in time. Can't really blame federal Germany for strict enforcement of fire-protection regulations by communal legal entities, can you? Well, the big chieftain could, but it was sorta.... inconvincing. If you think those small-towns did not consult with federal ministries before doing what they ultimately did, please inject some additional brain cells.

 

The Dutch obviously are in a different situation, if you're 4 days before your general election with a popular anti-islamist party breathing down your neck, you have denied some Turkish minister entry, and she still comes.... yeah, there's got to be a limit. Maybe a good start at playing "good cop-bad cop". Austria had so far taken that part. Asked one Austrian the other day if Germany could borrow their foreign minister, Sebastian Kurz. Nah, they still needed him.So we got to put up with the fat former vice-chancellor from SPD, instead. Pity.

[spidermike007]

This is a great opportunity to push Erdogan the despot. He is a creep, a fool, a wanna be strongman, and a wanna be dictator. He is flouting all decent norms, and his butt should be held to the fire. Let us see if the Germans and the Dutch are willing to get tough with this worm. He needs to be stood up to. What he is doing in his country is madness. He reminds me of a few others. 

[KKr]

After the "coup" has, as it seems effectively, cleaned up local opposition.
Now trying to extend his empire to other countries, creating riots and civil unrest as a thank you to the countries that accommodated so many people from Turkey.
Imagine, Trump Campaigning in London or Frankfurt cos there are so many Americans in those countries; Or Putin in Manhattan's finest coastal resort Brighton Beach ...... 

[Baerboxer]

 

Poland - you don't do as we say so the EU might have to cut your subsidies.

Turkey - you are saying things we don't like so we might have to stop the aid we give you.

 

America - sure, we are trying to find the money so we can pay are NATO obligation, the one we've been avoiding for years. Can't President Trump turn a bling eye like all the others did please?

 

German power economy - almost as bigger myth as German quality and ethics. Just ask VW.

[darksidedog]

I think very few people outside Turkey believe that Erdogan is a good person that will change Turkey for the better.

He comes across as a vile, nasty, power hungry dictator, who wants as much power as possible to rule as long as it pleases him, and to literally smash anyone who disagrees with him.

He has no idea about diplomacy, and like a spoilt little boy, spouts off vitriol to those who wouldn't let him get his way. Germany, Netherlands.

He submitted woefully inadequate "evidence" to the US attempting to get an extradition of his once ally. Then screamed like a baby when it didn't happen.

This man needs to be stopped in his tracks right now, and he needs to understand Turkey is not his by right and that the World works by certain rules.

[stevenl]

This is a great opportunity to push Erdogan the despot. He is a creep, a fool, a wanna be strongman, and a wanna be dictator. He is flouting all decent norms, and his butt should be held to the fire. Let us see if the Germans and the Dutch are willing to get tough with this worm. He needs to be stood up to. What he is doing in his country is madness. He reminds me of a few others. 

Very soon he will be an elected dictator, not wannabe.

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