Automotiv_September

Monthly automotive aftermarket magazine
Erdoğan, Steinmeier discuss
bilateral relations
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
and his German counterpart
Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed
bilateral relations in a phone
call with the Turkish president's
state visit to Berlin approaching.
According to the president's
office, both leaders reiterated their
determination to enhance bilateral
ties, saying ministerial level visits will
accelerate relations. Both countries'
treasury and finance ministers
are expected to hold meetings.
Erdoğan also held a phone call
with British Prime Minister Theresa
May to discuss bilateral relations
and regional issues. The two also
exchanged views on the areas of
economy, trade and investment.
The European Union wants to see
stable economic development in
Turkey, Germany's foreign minister
said.
Speaking to German business
representatives and ambassadors
at the Foreign Ministry, Heiko
Maas criticized U.S. President
Donald Trump's sanctions and his
economic pressure policy toward
Turkey.
"Of course we Europeans have a
great interest in stable economic
development in Turkey," he said.
Maas said he will visit Turkey to
meet Turkish government officials
and discuss recent economic
developments.
Over the past two years political
relations between Ankara and
Berlin have suffered setbacks, but
in recent months both sides have
taken steps towards improving ties.
Germany is Turkey's main economic
and trade partner. More than 7,500
German companies are active in
Turkey. In 2017, the bilateral trade
volume reached 37.6 billion euros
($43.6 billion).
He said Washington's sanctions
forces Europe to formulate a
response because the actions affect
the bloc as well, adding that maybe
the same could be done in the
future "against our other important
trading partners."
European member states should
take joint steps against U.S.
dominance in global finance,
he suggested, and proposed a
European alternative to the U.S.-
dominated SWIFT payment system.
Germany's Economy Minister Peter
Altmaier also voiced support for
Turkey amid market worries after
Trump imposed sanctions and
raised tariffs on Turkey.
Political tensions between Ankara
and Washington had sparked
worries in markets early this
month, after Trump threatened
to use economic pressure over
the prosecution of an American
pastor who faces terrorism-related
charges in Turkey.
Altmaier underlined Turkey's
importance for Germany and for
the EU. "We can have no interest
in the destabilization of a country
like Turkey with a population of 80
million, which also hosts around 4
million refugees," he said.
Many of the European leaders
earlier this month raised their voices
to highlight the significance of the
Turkish economy that has recently
come under attack with the
threatening economic showdown
of Trump.
Among them, Germany was one of
the first countries that voiced strong
support for the stabilization of the
Turkish economy and emphasize
its importance for Turkey's major
partners, particularly EU countries.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
emphasized the importance
of a strong Turkish economy
for Germany in a phone call
with President Erdoğan as the
two leaders stated their mutual
determination to maintain
cooperation between the two
countries.
24 SEPTEMBER 2018