German Liberals call for arms embargo on Turkey

Defence Redefined

Published on 14/12/2020 at 18:30

“FDP politicians on foreign policy against the supply of submarines in Turkey” is the news headline by Der Spiegel, which writes that the Greens are already asking for it, while the FDP politician Djir-Sarai aims to persuade his party to vote in favor of the cessation of supplies of German submarines to Turkey.”

As is mentioned, reactions have now emerged in the Liberal party (FDP) against the export of six German submarines to Turkey.

Also read: Netherlands | Efforts for EU moratorium on arms exports to Turkey

Due to “Turkish provocations in the Mediterranean against Greece and Cyprus”, the federal government must withdraw its 2009 approval for the sale of six Thyssenkrupp Marine System submarines, writes the foreign policy politician Djir-Sarai in a resolution for the FDP party, according to Spiegel.

In this way, the representative for foreign policy issues wants to take the FDP on his side for a stricter approach to Ankara. 

Sarai advocates “stopping all arms exports to Turkey and not agreeing on others.” This should be the case as long as Turkey acts “in violation of international law”, while its return to a “respectful treatment of the EU as a partner” cannot be ascertained.

Also read: Dendia’s letter to the Foreign Ministers of Germany, Italy and Spain requesting arms embargo on Turkey

At the end of October, the Greens had already made a similar proposal in the Federal Parliament, for which a vote has not yet taken place. The FDP resolution is expected to come to Parliament soon. However, a precondition is for the FDP to follow Sarai’s proposal. The resolution “has not taken its final form” internally, he said.

The resolution also stipulates other demands: The federal government should end the EU accession negotiations with Turkey in the form they have been going on so far, suspend customs union funds and “put relations with Turkey on a new footing that provides for cooperation in the fields of security policy and economy.”

The federal government has so far insisted on the supply of Type 214 submarines. The reason is that Germany must abide by the contracts.

Also read: Defence spending bill including sanctions for Turkey approved by Senate – The history of the effort by the Greek community

Source: CNA