German government rejects Erdogan’s Nazi remarks

Diplomatic tensions have been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of the referendum that would give Recep Tayyip Erdogan new powers.

BERLIN // Germany on Monday rejected as absurd Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan’s comparison of current German policies to the Nazi era, days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally there.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert urged both sides to stay “calm and level-headed” and not lose sight of the close ties that bind the two Nato allies.

“We firmly reject any comparisons between the policies of the democratic Federal Republic of Germany and the Nazi times,” he said.

“Such comparisons are always absurd and out of place because they lead to only to one thing: a trivialisation of crimes against humanity.”

Diplomatic tensions have been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of the referendum that would give Mr Erdogan new powers.

Mr Erdogan on Sunday likened bans on political rallies by Turks in Germany to “fascist actions” during the Nazi era, further souring bilateral relations amid mounting outrage in Germany over Turkey’s arrest of Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel.

Mr Seibert said Germany would continue to allow Turkish politicians to speak in Germany about the referendum, as long as they were open about their intentions and did not import Turkish conflicts to Germany.

Asked whether growing differences between Turkey and Europe should prompt the EU to curtail funding aimed at preparing Turkey to join the bloc, Mr Seibert said: “One will certainly have to continually ask the question, as the EU does with all of its spending, whether the payments are achieving the initially intended goal.”

Separately, the leader of Germany’s Turkish community said Mr Erdogan’s comments could harm bilateral ties and were exacerbating tensions among Turks in Germany.

“Erdogan went a step too far. Germany should not sink to his level,” said Gokay Sofuoglu, chairman of the Turkish Community in Germany, which groups 270 member organisations, although he urged Berlin not to ban Mr Erdogan from Germany.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern on Sunday urged the EU to halt membership talks with Turkey and cancel or restrict €4.5 billion (Dh17.5bn) in pre-accession aid promised to Turkey until 2020.

Mr Seibert said Germany remained committed to good ties with Turkey because of their common interests, including the estimated 3 million people of Turkish background who live in Germany, Nato membership and the fight against ISIL.

But he said Germany was continuing to press Turkey for fair treatment of Yucel and his speedy release. The Die Welt correspondent is facing 10-1/2 years in prison if convicted of charges of propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation and inciting public violence. * Reuters and Associated Press