Asked yesterday Tuesday whether during the visit of German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Turkey Ankara’s intention to buy Eurofighter fighter jets for its air force will be discussed, Minister Yasar Güler chose to give an ironic answer.
“The man is cutting a doner, we will ask him after he finishes his work with the doner. The developments regarding these (s.s.: the armament programs) are continuing,” said the minister.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier began his visit to Turkey with a first stop in Istanbul, where he met with opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
The defense minister’s comment apparently referred to the fact that, to show his personal ties with the Turks, the German president took along on the trip a Turkish immigrant who owns a kebab restaurant in Berlin – political analysts spoke of “donor diplomacy”.
He also said of the Turkish workers who immigrated to Germany that “they built our country with us, they made our country strong, they are at the heart of our society”.
The German president’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled for today in Ankara.
Asked about the US F-16 purchase, Yasar Guler said: “We are talking. You will soon know where we stand with everything. We are working it out.”
The minister’s comments were made during the reception held last night at the Turkish parliament to celebrate the 104th anniversary of its establishment.
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