Germany has a “strategic interest” in sound economic development in Turkey, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
In an interview with German RTL television, Merkel said Germany and Turkey should enhance dialogue and cooperation despite their differences on a number of political topics.
“Germany has a strategic interest in sound economic development in Turkey. It would not be in our interest to behave in a way that would weaken Turkey,” she said.
Merkel’s comments came amid media reports that Berlin was searching for ways to assist Turkey in overcoming its current economic difficulties.
Merkel also dismissed criticism by German opposition parties of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s planned visit to Berlin on Sept. 28-29.
“We cannot always think of the world in black and white. That is not the reality,” she said.
Intensified talks between Berlin and Ankara are important for overcoming current problems, she added.
Merkel underlined that German-Turkish relations were “special” thanks to more than 3 million people of Turkish origin living in Germany.