German government bans weapons exports to Turkey

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday told a German newspaper that the German government is stopping arms exports to Turkey.

“Given the background of the Turkish military offensive in north-eastern Syria, the Federal Government will not issue any new permits for any military equipment that could be used in Syria by Turkey,” Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

Read more: Can the EU-Turkey deal be fixed?

Maas said the German government had implemented a very restrictive route for arms exports to Ankara since 2016, especially after the Turkish military offensive against the northern Syrian region of Afrin.

However, an arms export ban has not yet been imposed.

Germany exported arms worth €243 million ($268 million) to Turkey in 2018, making up almost one third of all German weapons exports, according to Bild am Sonntag.

France announced late on Saturday that it too was suspending arms exports to Turkey, saying Ankara’s offensive in northern Syria was a threat to European security. A joint statement from the defense and foreign ministries said France would push for a “Europe-wide approach” towards curtailing weapons sales at a meeting of EU diplomats on Monday. 

In a interview with DW, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said that any arms embargo would only make Turkey stronger.

“Let me put it this way: This is a vital question for us and a question of national security, a question of survival,” Cavusoglu said. “No matter what anyone does, no matter whether it is an arms embargo or anything else, it only strengthens us.” 

“Fifteen years ago we produced only 20% of the goods we needed, now we produce over 70% — all this only strengthens us,” he continued. 

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• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  The Böhmermann affair

  March 31, 2016: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan filed charges against German comedian and satirist Jan Böhmermann over his “defamatory poem” about the Turkish leader. German prosecutors eventually dropped the charges on October 4, 2016, but the case sparked a diplomatic row between Berlin and Ankara.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  German lawmakers pass resolution to recognize 1915 Armenian Genocide

  June 2, 2016: The resolution passed almost unanimously. In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador in Berlin and Germany’s Turkish community held protests in several German cities. Turkey had repeatedly criticized the use of the term genocide to describe the Ottoman-era Armenian killings, arguing that the number of deaths had been inflated, and that Turkish Muslims also perished in the violence.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Tensions following failed coup in Turkey

  July 15, 2016: A faction of the Turkish military tried to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but ultimately failed. Ankara accused Berlin of not taking a clear stand against the coup attempt or not doing anything about exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen’s organization, who Erdogan blames for orchestrating the failed coup.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Germany criticizes post-coup purge

  Immediately following the attempted coup, Turkish authorities purged the army and judiciary, detaining thousands of people. The purge expanded to include civil servants, university officials and teachers. German politicians criticize the detentions. Turkish diplomats, academics and military members fled the country and applied for asylum in Germany.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Kurdish rallies in Cologne

  Erdogan’s post-coup crackdown has also been condemned by Kurdish protesters at several mass demonstrations in the west German city of Cologne. Often the rallies have called for the release of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey considers to be a terror group. Ankara has accused Berlin of not doing enough to stop PKK activities.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Arrest of German citizens in Turkey

  February 14, 2017: Deniz Yücel, a correspondent for the “Welt” newspaper, was taken into custody in Turkey. Other German nationals, including journalist Mesale Tolu and human rights activist Peter Steudtner were detained in Turkey for what Berlin dubbed “political reasons.” Turkey accused them of supporting terrorist organizations. All three have since been released pending trial.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Germany bans Turkish referendum rallies

  March 2017: A number of German localities blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies in their districts ahead of an April referendum in Turkey to enhance President Erdogan’s powers. The Turkish leader then accused Germany of using “Nazi tactics” against Turkish citizens in Germany and visiting Turkish lawmakers. German leaders were not amused by the jibe, saying Erdogan had gone too far.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Spying allegations

  March 30, 2017: Germany accused Turkey of spying on hundreds of suspected Gulen supporters as well as over 200 associations and schools linked to the Gulen movement in Germany. Turkish asylum-seekers have since accused officials working in Germany’s immigration authority (BAMF) of passing on their information to media outlets with ties to the Turkish government.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Erdogan urges German-Turks not to vote for ‘enemies of Turkey’

  August 18, 2017: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed three of Germany’s main political parties as “enemies of Turkey” and told Turks living in Germany not to vote for them in September’s general election. He singled out Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), the Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens. Merkel said Erdogan was “meddling” in Germany’s election.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Merkel says Turkey should not become EU member

  September 4, 2017: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during an election debate that she didn’t think Turkey should become a member of the European Union and said she would speak with other EU leaders about ending Ankara’s accession talks. In October, she backed a move to cut Turkey’s pre-accession EU funds.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Turkey’s military offensive in Afrin

  January 20, 2018: The Turkish military and their Syrian rebel allies launched “Operation Olive Branch” against the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin in northern Syria. The move was criticized by German politicians and prompted large protests by Kurdish communities in Germany.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Journalist Deniz Yücel released from prison

  February 16, 2018: Turkey ordered the release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel after he’d been held for over a year without charge. According to Turkish state media, Yücel was released on bail from pre-trial detention. Prosecutors asked for an 18-year jail sentence for Yücel on charges of “terror propaganda” and incitement.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Özil quits

  July 2018: German footballer Mesut Özil quit the national team following the fallout from his meeting with the Turkish president. Özil said he was being made a scapegoat for Germany’s forgettable performance at the FIFA World Cup in Moscow because of his Turkish heritage. Erdogan praised Özil’s decision and slammed the “racist” mistreatment of the footballer.

• Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?

  Travel ban lifted

  August 2018: A Turkish court removed the travel ban on German journalist Mesale Tolu, who was arrested last year on terrorism-related charges. But the trial against Tolu, who has since returned to Germany, is set to continue. Her husband, Suat Corlu, who is facing similar charges, has been ordered to remain in Turkey.

  Author: Rebecca Staudenmaier

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