GERMANY: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan speaks in front of thousands of his fellow citizens in Germany calling for integration

Record ID: 217363

  • Title: GERMANY: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan speaks in front of thousands of his fellow citizens in Germany calling for integration
  • Date: 28th February 2011
  • Summary: DUESSELDORF, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 27, 2011) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) WIDE OF EVENT HALL WITH PEOPLE WAITING FOR ARRIVAL OF TURKISH PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN PEOPLE WAVING TURKISH AND GERMAN FLAGS CLOSE OF PEOPLE WAVING FLAGS AND HOLDING UP CAMERAS AND MOBILE PHONES ERDOGAN ARRIVING ON STAGE PEOPLE WAVING FLAGS AND CHEERING CLOSE OF FLAG SHOWING ER
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZ9G0HDXY8ON28FT232JO313T
  • Story Text: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his fellow citizens living in Germany on Sunday (February 27), asking them to integrate themselves in the country. Speaking in front of about 10,000 people at the 'ISS dome' in Duesseldorf, he also said that the rights of minorities should not be ignored.
    "Integration, no matter in which society we are living in, we have to integrate ourselves. It is important for our and other societies. Regarding assimilation, I can only say, no one is able to separate us from our culture", Erdogan said.
    The premier added that Turkey would make a change to the law for the so-called Mavi-card for holder of the German citizenship in order to make it easier for them to deal with banks and other state authorities.
    "We are going to solve these problems with a change of law. We will accept the card like an identity card so that we make it easier for banks and other state offices," Erdogan said.
    The speech on Sunday was the start of Erdogan's visit to Germany. On Monday (February 28) he is scheduled to meet German chancellor Angela Merkel and attend the opening of the 'CeBit', the world's largest computer fair in Hanover with her.
    Erdogan will return to Turkey for the funeral of former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, the founder of Turkey's modern Islamist movement.
    Turkish media said the funeral of Erbakan, who died on Sunday aged 85, would take place on Tuesday. (March 1) A German government spokeswoman said she was not aware of any changes to the scheduled appointment with Merkel.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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