Erdogan putting at risk centuries-old ties to Berlin: German minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is putting at risk his country's centuries-old ties to Germany, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in a newspaper interview, as tensions escalate between the NATO allies, Reuters reports.

Bilateral relations have deteriorated following the arrest by Turkey of six rights activists, including one German, two weeks ago as part of a wider crackdown since a failed coup against Erdogan last year.

"He is jeopardizing the centuries-old partnership," Schaeuble said of Erdogan."It is dramatic, as there is really a lot that connects us. But we can't allow ourselves to be blackmailed," the minister said in an interview with daily Bild published on Monday, July 24.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff said on Sunday that Turkey's behavior was "unacceptable" and Germany had a duty to protect its citizens and companies, but also wanted to maintain strong bilateral ties.

Tensions were already high after bitter recriminations during a referendum in April on extending Erdogan's powers and a pullout of German troops from a Turkish air base that began this month.

Ankara has refused to let German lawmakers visit soldiers at two air bases.

Germany has warned its nationals traveling to Turkey that they did so at their own risk, and Schaeuble was quoted on Friday as comparing Turkey with the former communist East German state, the German Democratic Republic.

In March, German authorities barred Turkish ministers from speaking at mass rallies of expatriates backing the president's referendum campaign. He responded by accusing Berlin of "fascist actions".