Germany takes sides with France in row over Islamist extremism
Germany has expressed solidarity with France in ongoing debates on religious extremism, something French authorities often warned against.
The Germany position aims to rein in
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been lashing out at Europe and
accusing it of intolerance to Muslims.
Berlin said it stands in solidarity
with Paris against extremism and empty slogans that sow seeds of tension
between peoples.
Erdogan tries to use the remarks
made by French President Emmanuel Macron following the murder of a school
teacher at the hand of a Chechen radical on Oct. 16 to settle old scores with
Macron.
Macron led a campaign inside the European
Union to impose sanctions on Ankara against the background of its violations in
the East Mediterranean and transfer of mercenaries to Libya.
A German newspaper threw light
recently on attempts by Erdogan to sway Muslims around the Middle East against
France.
Erdogan does this, it said, in order
to gloss over his illegal exploration of gas in the East Mediterranean and
violation of the United Nations ban against the transfer of arms to Libya.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
expressed concern over Turkish statements against Europe, in general, and
France, in particular.
She said these statements have
nothing to do with reality.
Erdogan had previously criticized
German police for searching a mosque financed by some Turkish agencies.
He made links between this event and
the remarks made by the French president following the murder of the French
school teacher.
A spokesperson of the German
chancellor said Erdogan's comments were unacceptable.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass
said the comments of the Turkish president drive a new wedge between Europe and
Turkey.
He said his country stands in
solidarity with France against Islamist extremism.
