From the beginning of June, there is a crisis between Germany and Turkey due to Germany’s reception of so called Armenian genocide claims, although it has become of secondary importance because of Brexit, its effects will go a long way between these two countries. Even so, these two countries have more important matters to attend to, this affair is not easy to be forgotten. Especially, at the NATO deliberation in Adana, the statement of Ursula von Der Leyen about coming to Turkey had raised the tension again. The real reason behind that statement of German Defence Minister is Turkey’s refuse of Ralf Brauksiepe’s, who is undersecretary of German Defence Ministry, and German parliament members’ visit to İncirlik base.

Before analysing this subject, I think it is beneficial to mention some aspects about Turkish-German relations. It is well known that the agreement between Turkey and European Union (EU) about Syrian refugees was not a solution to the problem and some EU government circles accuse Turkey for this situation. It is true that the EU, which is under Germany’s leadership, and Turkey started a close relationship long ago to produce a solution to this matter. However, there are far more than millions of refugees in Turkey, EU were inattentive to this subject and their policy about leaving Turkey alone caused serious distress and crisis. Furthermore, the resignation of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoğlu and internal politic situation of Turkey caused an increase in negative reactions from EU. But the point that EU forgets is the reality that Turkey’s domestic affairs is only Turkey’s own concern. Especially, in these five years, the opposition of Islam and Turkey inside the Europe was gradually rising. The subjective attitude of EU to the change of Prime Minister in Turkey and Syrian refugee crisis actually became a politic “colour” reason for Germany to accept so called 1915 Armenian genocide act. At every turn, criticizing Turkey jauntily by EU is unnecessary and can be indignant inside the country.

However, for all these years, notably in economics along with NATO partnership, Turkish-German relations were proceeding on solid bases. Though, Germany exterminated relations with Turkey by its own hands, due to 1915 gibberish. The deplorable point in this situation is the acceptation of this genocide claim, which does not have any juridical and scientific evidence, by a respectable country. How on earth did Germany accept Armenian genocide claims without any scientific and juridical evidence? Is Bundestag a competent court, which has a right to blame millions of Turks with that judgement?

The tragicomically point about this situation is, at the World War II, a country, which tries to lecture Turkey about democracy and human rights had a Nazi history where millions of Jews and Gipsies were slaughtered. It is a calamity and a challenging case, that acceptation of Armenian claims by Germany for only political reasons, which does not have any solid evidence. What kinds of alliance efforts for Germany is to constraint and accuse Turkey for a contradictive and disagreed subject by historians, which is believed to happened in World War I at Ottoman Empire’s dissolution era?  I recommend to the Germans to look at Balkan’s events at that time. In the history of Turkish nation, they never allowed any type of genocide, homicide or pogrom. I also recommend for the political lobbies and some constitutions to research where and when this “genocide” word originated. Today, many Balkan countries, even with the 400 years of Ottoman dominion, can speak their own language, can live their faith and also they reserved their culture. The main reason behind this is the Turkish indulgence. However, it is still remembered that the genocides of German originated nations in continental Europe and in Americas.

The Western democrats, who do not allow anybody to speak about democracy and people’s rights rather than themselves, have never shown the same sensitiveness for Nagorno-Karabakh, which is Azerbaijan’s own soil, clearly showing us how ambidextrous they are. The other tragicomic point is, Angela Merkel’s playing the good cop for vanishing into the thin air when the 1915 events were voted at the Bundestag.

I think it is beneficial to make these designations about Merkel: The reason behind the imprudence of political will came out the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Also, continuing Euro crisis since 2008, Greece’s throwing the towel as well as election of a radical left Prime Minister, the unnecessary acceptation of 1915 events, Syrian refugee crisis and at the end Brexit was a bad report card for Germany. Brexit is a remarkable situation in world politics discussions. The common idea about Brexit is that “the Britain is abandoning the sinking ship”. There are too many nations and states in the world, but if we talk about Britain, this situation will be more meaningful. At the time, Britain was called “the empire on which the sun never sets”, and now one of the biggest countries in Europe took a decision to leave, Brussels and Berlin must take this as a message and a warning.

Were these events in EU good or bad from Turkey’s standing point? To answer this question, it is obvious to make another research. But, if the situation is like mentioned before, Germany will try to empower relations among the other members and we are hearing some comments prematurely that it will push the boat out economically. It is almost certain that after this unnecessary crisis amongst the Turkey and Germany, the relations between Turkey and EU after Britain will be a milestone in some areas. Turkey that is not even inside the union, will almost certainly effect indirectly to certain dynamics inside EU. Henceforth, decreasing the tension between Russia and Turkey after the fighter jet crisis, and as well as amelioration of Israel and Turkey relations, may be accepted to make some changes of relations between Germany and Turkey. Whether this change will be good or not, we will see about that in forth coming days.

Saltuk Buğra BOZKURT