TAKING CHARGE: New German President urges Turkish President to free a German journalist detained on terror charges -
Berlin: Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan must “respect the rule of law and the freedom of media and journalists,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday in his inaugural speech.
After taking the oath of office during a joint session of parliament, Steinmeier urged the Turkish president to free Deniz Yucel, a German journalist detained on terrorism charges in Turkey this year.
“End these unspeakable Nazi comparisons,” Steinmeier said in response to Erdogan’s comments likening the German government to the Nazi regime.
“Do not cut the cord to those who wish to have a partnership with Turkey.” Germany and Turkey are embroiled in a row about Ankara’s efforts to lobby Turkish expatriates in Europe to vote “yes” in a referendum in April that would expand Erdogan’s powers and weaken parliament.
The usually diplomatic Steinmeier had harsh words for President Donald Trump during last year’s US election campaign, referring to him as a “hate preacher.”
Steinmeier, the 61-year-old Social Democrat who was replaced as foreign minister by Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel earlier this year, was received with military honours at Berlin’s Bellevue Palace later on Wednesday.
Unlike the newly elected US president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier has never had a Twitter account and is not the kind of politician to formulate policy in 140-word formulas.
“I would like as federal president to be something of a counterweight to the current tendency towards boundless simplification,” the 61 year-old said before Sunday’s election.
Steinmeier was elected head of state by an overwhelming majority of specially constituted Federal Convention, comprising members of the country’s national and state parliaments as well as community representatives.
Germany’s major parties and Chancellor Angela Merkel, leader of the conservative CDU, all endorsed the former top diplomat. Merkel said he would be “an excellent president”while noting that he came to power “in difficult times.” — AFP
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