ISTANBUL / ANKARA
Israel's security can only be ensured under a two-state solution that provides a political perspective for Palestinians, Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday.
"Without a political perspective for Palestinians, security cannot be ensured for Israel, either. This perspective can only be a two-state solution," Steinmeier said in a joint news conference after talks in Türkiye's capital Ankara with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Underlining the need to prevent the escalation of ongoing conflict in the region, he said Türkiye has an important role to play in addressing the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Steinmeier is on the final day of a three-day visit to Türkiye, marking 100 years of bilateral diplomatic relations.
"Together with President Erdogan, we talked about the need for all of us to use our contacts in the region as much as we can, especially to secure the release of the hostages," he said, referring to more than 130 Israeli hostages taken by Palestinian group Hamas in a cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas demands an end to Israel's ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip in return for any hostage-prisoner deal with Tel Aviv.
On Germany's continued arms exports to Israel as it wages its onslaught, which has killed over 34,000 Palestinians so far, he held that this support did not "contribute to genocide" and that Berlin would defend this position before international courts.
About the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in Palestine, Steinmeier the two "show that we are living in dangerous times. Despite how much these facts may affect our political life, our relations are based on a long and rich history."
Germany-Türkiye bilateral relations
Emphasizing the long history of Germany and Türkiye relations, the German leader said: "For me, coming to Türkiye on the 100th anniversary of the start of our diplomatic relations was very important."
He highlighted the significance of the people-to-people ties between the two countries, besides relations between their respective governments.
Noting that about 3 million people of Turkish origin have lived in Germany since a labor agreement signed between them in 1961, he added: "Germany has no such intense friendly and familial relations with any other country in the world (as it does with Türkiye)."
"As two countries, we are indispensable to each other; we need each other," he added.
Steinmeier said that over a century ago, "craftsmen fled from poverty in Germany to Türkiye, venturing to these distant lands.
"In the 1920s, German scientists, architects, and city planners came to contribute to the establishment of the young Turkish Republic. In the 1930s and 1940s, families, many of whom were Jewish and oppressed in Nazi Germany, came here."
Pointing to Germany's rapid humanitarian response after deadly earthquakes struck southern Türkiye last year, he said German search and rescue personnel, as well as doctors, had quickly aided in relief efforts on the ground, while Berlin provided substantial financial support.
On about his visit to areas affected by the earthquakes on the second day of his visit on Tuesday, Steinmeier said reconstruction efforts were "commendable."
"Syrian refugees were also victims of this earthquake in the same way. I spoke with them yesterday. As Germany, we will not forget the earthquake victims and will continue to support them," he said.
On a recent arson attack that claimed the lives of four members of an immigrant Turkish-Bulgarian family in the German city of Solingen, Steinmeier expressed sadness over the incident.
Steinmeier said he and Erdogan had discussed the matter and underlined that German authorities would punish the perpetrators.
Türkiye-Germany trade volume reaches $58B
Steinmeier said he and Erdogan had also addressed cultural, scientific, and economic relations in their discussions.
"The trade between the two countries has reached a new record of €55 billion (over $58.8 billion). The reforms in financial policies in Türkiye are also highly appreciated in Europe and the West," he said.
Stating that Russia-Ukraine war and the US' assistance to Ukraine were also on the agenda during the meeting with Erdogan, Steinmeier stated: "We know Türkiye also supports Ukraine. We are also trying to provide the same support. In the future, we will continue this support intensively, both militarily and economically."
He noted that a conference would be held on Ukraine's reconstruction in the next few weeks in Germany and invited President Erdogan to this conference.
