Westerwelle says Germany will not stand in the way of Turkish EU entry

On his first trip to the Turkish capital, Foreign Minister Westerwelle told an audience of Turkish diplomats that he believed that Turkey was not yet ready for EU membership.

"We all know that freedom of opinion, of the press and of religion are pillars of the values of our European community," the leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) said, before adding that the "work of reform in Turkey on its path to Europe is not yet complete. I want to encourage you to continue." But he promised that Germany would honor its agreements on Turkey's entry.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  Turkey has been negotiating for EU membership since 2005

Not a tourist in shorts

Westerwelle pointed to the government's coalition contract, which promised to engage in EU membership negotiations with an attitude that was "open to any result." On being asked whether he spoke for the whole government, Westerwelle said, "I'm not here as a tourist in shorts, but as the German Foreign Minister. What I say, counts."

Westerwelle's opposite number Ahmut Davutoglu responded positively to the German Foreign Minister's speech, and said that Turkey would do whatever it takes to gain entry to the EU. "We want to fulfil all reforms. Everything that this process requires, we will do - especially in relation to Germany."

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  Around 2.7 million people with Turkish roots live in Germany

Strife at home

However, Westerwelle's words prompted a sharp response from coalition allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), several of whose members favor offering Turkey "a privileged partnership" with the EU rather than full membership.

CSU General Secretary Alexander Dobrindt said, "I can only advise him not to come to secret agreements in Turkey, as he did in Poland, that we then have to clear up for weeks afterwards in the coalition."

But in an exchange that further exacerbated tensions within the coalition government, the FDP's minister of state Werner Hoyer rejected Dobrindt's statement and accused the CSU of undermining the coalition contract and trying to draw attention to itself.

bk/dpa/APD

Editor: Susan Houlton