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  • ANKARA: German president meets Turkish opposition party leader

    Turkish Government News
    April 29, 2014 Tuesday

    German president meets Turkish opposition party leader

    Ankara

    Turkish Government has issued the following press release:

    Germany's President Joachim Gauck met with Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader
    of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), on Monday
    in the capital, Ankara.

    Gauck's visit to Turkey comes two days after Germany's far-right
    National Democratic Party (NPD) held a neo-Nazi rally on Saturday in
    the mostly Turkish-populated Kreuzberg. The rally ended after hundreds
    of people stopped the neo-Nazis from marching.

    CHP Deputy Chairman Faruk Logoglu addressed the media after the
    one-hour meeting, saying CHP's views on rising racism in Germany were
    not discussed during the meeting. However, the main opposition party
    wants justice to be served as soon as possible, according to Logoglu.

    On April 5th, Burak Bektas, a Turkish man, was killed in the mostly
    Turkish populated area of Neukoln in Berlin. The murderers'
    whereabouts are still unknown as the killing raises debates of
    increasing racism in Germany.

    "We are against all kinds of racism whether it is in Germany, Turkey
    or in the world," Logoglu added.

    - Alevi situation

    Logoglu said the situation of Turkey's Alevi people, who constitute
    the largest religious minority in the country, was another topic
    discussed during the meeting. He said the German president was
    surprised that 'Cemevi's, Alevi place of worship, do not count as
    official praying halls.

    Cemevis are fundamentally important for the Alevi population but are
    not recognized as places of worship in Turkey, according to the
    Presidency of Religious Affairs.

    - Turkish opposition

    Logoglu quoted Gauck as saying there is a perception that Turkey has a
    'weak' opposition.

    "Gauck said CHP's projects are important as a social democrat party,''
    Logoglu said. ''It is important to make the youth arouse interest to
    politics and [Gauck] knows that CHP took lessons from the Gezi Park
    incidents."

    "The president wished us luck, stating that 28 percent is considered
    as a huge vote in Germany," said Logoglu.

    Armenian, Kurdish injustice taboos lifted

    Joachim Gauck also said taboos concerning injustice against Armenians
    and Kurds in Turkey have been lifted.

    Gauck spoke at the Middle East Technical University during his Turkey
    visit, noting that the influence of the military in politics have been
    pushed back in the country.

    ''Turkey began the process of dialogue with the Kurds, and reduced the
    number of violent conflict,'' Gauck said. ''For example the injustice
    taboos against the Turkish Armenians or Kurds began to be lifted.''

    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's expressed condolences to the
    descendants of Armenians who lost their lives in the incidents of 1915
    are positive developments in Turkey, according to Gauck.

    He also said Turkey's humanitarian aid service to Syrian refugees is
    'impressive'.

    "Turkey assumed many Syrians refugees without any conditions and
    established refugee camps, schools, supplied humanitarian aid and
    service health assistances,'' Gauck said. ''In fact, the government
    also provides medical assistance to around 500 thousand people who do
    not live in the refugee camps.''

    For more information please visit: http://www.aa.com.tr/

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