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Germany, Turkey launch dialogue initiative |
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Written by Deutsche Presse Agentur
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Thursday, 07 September 2006 16:15 |
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German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul launched an initiative Thursday to promote greater dialogue between cultures and religions, an issue which gained urgency after the Mohammed cartoons controversy. The Ernst-Reuter-Initiative was announced as the two ministers wrapped up talks during Steinmeier's brief visit to Istanbul on his way to a trip to the Middle East.
Gul told Turkish television TRT 1 that the goal of the initiative was to counter prejudice and intolerance.
Steinmeier recalled that Ernst Reuter - a legendary mayor of post- war West Berlin - as well as numerous scholars and artists had found asylum in Turkey when the Nazis were in power in Germany.
Last February, Gul and Steinmeier had co-authored an article in response to the violent protests in many Islamic countries against the publication in a Danish newspaper of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed which many Muslims deemed to be blasphemous.
Gul and Steinmeier called for common efforts to establish tolerance and mutual respect between cultures and religions in their article.
The Ernst-Reuter-Initiative was expected to spawn a series of projects in both Germany and Turkey to promote understanding of each others' cultures, officials said.
Along with the initiative, Germany's foreign radio broadcaster Deutsche Welle announced plans to expand its media activities in the Turkish market, with programmes in the Turkish language to be broadcast throughout Turkey starting in October.
In their political talks in Istanbul, the two foreign ministers focused on issues related to Turkey's drive to become a member of the European Union, with Steinmeier promising Berlin's cooperation to help Ankara overcome the obstacles to EU entrty.
Steinmeier also said he was very pleased that the Turkey had decided to send troops to Lebanon as part of a UN peacekeeping force.
On the issue of Turkey refusing to open its ports to EU member Cyprus, Steinmeier said a solution must be found during the Finnish presidency of the EU.
Steinmeier stressed the existing interest in Turkey's accession to the EU, but that the Cyprus issue should not be allowed to grow into a crisis issue.
One problem was that Turkey had not yet ratified the "Ankara protocol" calling for an adaptation to EU customs rules, which would require Ankara's indirect recognition of the government of the southern party of Cyprus and allow Cypriot ships to enter Turkish ports.
There were efforts afoot to solve the problem, the German foreign minister said, but "a solution is not yet on the table."
Gul for his part warned against the EU taking a one-sided view in the criticism of Turkey's reform effort. He said Turkey has already accomplished a great deal in the area.
"It is easy to run along a straight path, but difficult to go forward when the path is full of hurdles," he said. |