- Title: In escalation, German foreign minister announces steps against Turkey
- Date: 20th July 2017
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "We expect a return to European values, the respect for freedom of opinion, the press and art. We continue to have a strong interest in good relations with Turkey. We continue to have an interest in good and trustful relations with the Turkish government. We want Turkey to become a part of the west, or to remain one where it already is. But it takes two to tango." SIDE SHOT OF GABRIEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "Unfortunately I can't see any kind of readiness on the current Turkish government's side to go this path with us which is why we in Germany will be forced to take a new direction in our Turkish policy." REPORTERS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "I therefore do not see how we as the German government can continue to guarantee German corporate investment in Turkey if, as shown, there are threats of haphazard decisions for political reasons." PHOTOGRAPHERS SEATED ON FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "A country which doesn't even voluntarily grant us consular access to German citizens should in my view think about its own treatment of the rule of law and not accuse others." REPORTER'S LAPTOP COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "Those who again support the death penalty want to turn back the clock and dismantle the successfully installed in recent years fundamentals of rule of law and democracy in Turkey." PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES GABRIEL WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2017 11:20
- Keywords: arrest Gabriel activists human rights diplomatic Turkey detention Germany row
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036QIRV47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel announced on Thursday (July 20) a range of steps against Turkey in response to the detention of a German human rights activist, signalling a more confrontational stance to the NATO ally after an escalation in tensions.
Sigmar Gabriel said Germany would talk to EU partners about Turkey's aspirations to join the bloc and made clear Berlin could no longer guarantee German corporate investment in Turkey.
He also said he could not envisage talks on expanding the customs union to Turkey and he issued new travel advice which warned of risks in Turkey for Germans.
He said the new steps had been agreed with Chancellor Angela Merkel. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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