Germany blocks arms exports to Turkey

The German government has blocked a number of arms exports to Turkey. The decision, which concerns eleven orders, was taken long before the current escalation of tensions between the two countries due to comparisons between present-day Germany and the Nazi era and the ban on Turkish ministers appearing in Germany ahead of the referendum in Turkey. Jan Van Aken, a member of parliament for the Left Party, says:

"Suddenly the federal government has refused to proceed with arms exports to Turkey for the last three months, for a total of eleven exports. "This is something new and shows that one does not necessarily have to supply arms to NATO countries if they are violating human rights."

Concerns are growing that weapons could be used against the Kurds. Officially, Turkish police and army operations are targeting only the Kurdish PKK party, which is banned in both Turkey and Germany and is listed as a terrorist organization. However, the Kurdish population is also indirectly affected. Recently, the UN has repeatedly denounced human rights violations in Kurdish areas in Turkey.

Turkey, an important trading partner

"When I see that protests are being dismantled by force of arms, that journalists are being arrested, that I am seeing Kurdish cities being bombed in southeastern Turkey and that military operations are also taking place in Syria and Iraq, then these are all good reasons not to supply weapons. Turkey".

Turkey is Germany's most important trading partner in terms of exports. In 2015, 270 exports amounting to 39 million euros were approved. In the first half of 2016, Turkey rose from 25th to 8th place and the value of orders reached 76 million euros.

However, the export ban does not really hit Turkey hard. Ankara is increasingly focusing on Moscow, a development they are watching with concern at NATO. It is currently negotiating with Russia for the purchase of the S-400 air defense system. The system can intercept aircraft and missiles at a distance of 400 km.

Militaryly, Turkey will not be particularly affected by this decision of the German government, but politically it is certainly not a move of modesty, much less at a time when relations between the two countries are particularly tense.

Source: news.in.gr