German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday defended his country’s recently growing defense exports to Turkey, citing both countries’ membership in the NATO alliance as one reason.
“Turkey is a member of NATO and that is why we always decide that concrete deliveries will take place. That is self-evident,” Scholz told a joint press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul.
Scholz even seemed open to the possible delivery of Eurofighter aircraft to Turkey. The chancellor said talks between Britain and Turkey over the fighter jets were ongoing.
The issue is something “that will continue to develop, but is now being developed from there,” Scholz told reporters.
Erdoğan reiterated his interest in closer defense cooperation with Germany.
“We want to finally put behind us the problems we have encountered in the past related to the procurement of defense industry products and expand our cooperation,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey hopes to receive about 40 Eurofighters. Germany and Britain are among the countries involved in the consortium producing the Eurofighter, and German approval would be required before any of the planes could be exported to Turkey.
The sale of German weapons to Turkey has been controversial in recent years due to concerns about the human rights situation in Turkey and some international actions by the Turkish government.
After a failed coup in Turkey and the Turkish military ground offensive in northern Syria in 2016, German export licenses to Ankara were significantly reduced.
Germany was previously a large-scale arms supplier to Turkey, but in recent years German arms exports to Turkey have been as low as a figure of several million.
However, sales have increased recently. This year, Berlin has approved military exports worth €103 million ($112 million), according to German government data dated October 13. The exports are the highest since 2011 and include weapons worth €840,000.
Most recently, Germany approved the delivery of 28 torpedoes and 101 guided missiles.
Another bone of contention in bilateral relations is the ongoing war in Gaza.
Erdoğan accused Israel on Saturday of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. He also called for pressure on Israel so that more humanitarian aid can reach Gaza and accused Israel of expansionist policies.
Erdoğan’s government has close ties with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which Germany considers a terrorist group. On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed his condolences over the death of Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar during a meeting with Hamas political leaders.
Scholz on Saturday rejected Erdoğan’s charge of genocide, and the German leader said civilian victims on all sides of the conflict should be mourned equally.
Scholz further emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself, but must adhere to international law.
