German President Steinmeier evaluates his visit to Turkey: He will invite Erdoğan to Euro 2024!

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that they agree with Turkey that lasting peace in the Middle East is possible through a two-state solution.

German President Steinmeier evaluated his contacts in Turkey from April 22-24 to the Turkish journalists following his visit.

Pointing out that his country and Turkey have different perspectives on the conflicts in the Middle East, Steinmeier said, "However, we agree with Turkey that lasting peace in the Middle East is possible through a two-state solution."

Describing his contacts in Turkey as constructive, Steinmeier said, "Every minute of my visit to Turkey was valuable."

Touching upon the importance of his visit to Turkey for the relations between the two countries, Steinmeier remarked, "It was very important for me to come to Turkey on the 100th anniversary of the start of our diplomatic relations."

Noting that the two countries are NATO allies and G20 members, Steinmeier said, "As Turkey and Germany, we are indispensable to each other; we need each other."

WE WILL NOT FORGET THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Explaining that he attended the April 23 celebrations in Gaziantep and then visited the container city established for earthquake victims in the Nurdağı district, Steinmeier stated that his contacts there left an impression on him.

Reminding that the earthquake on February 6, 2023, caused many casualties in Turkey and Syria, Steinmeier remarked, "It was meaningful for me to visit the region one year after the earthquake. It is gratifying to see that shelters were prepared very quickly for the survivors and that children are able to go to school."

Expressing that the reconstruction efforts in the region are "admirable," Steinmeier said, "As Germany, we will not forget the earthquake victims and we will continue to support them."

Referring to his visit to the German logistics company DHL's hub at Istanbul Airport, Steinmeier said that they also discussed this visit during his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Explaining that this hub serves as a model in the fast air cargo transportation sector, Steinmeier expressed that it is also gratifying that the first Digital Transformation Office established within the scope of an R&D Center among European countries is located in Istanbul.

Regarding the question of when progress will be made on visa facilitation for Turkish citizens or visa procedures in general, Steinmeier replied that the number of consulate staff in Turkey has been increased and that efforts are underway to shorten processing times and enable faster appointment scheduling.

Steinmeier said that he expects President Erdoğan at EURO 2024, which will be held in Germany and where the Turkish National Team will also compete.

News Source: AA