Germany is doing its best to mend relations between France and Turkey. At the meeting with representatives of Turkey, Angela Merkel is planning to get the dialogue on cooperation underway. However, in order to establish the ties between Ankara and Brussels, she will have to reconcile Turkey ad France first. The point is that the latter blocks Turkey’s EU bid.
The crisis between Turkey and the EU has been observed for several months, whereas Ankara and Paris had their first disagreement during the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy over the French bill punishing Turkey’s denial of the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turks during World War I in 1915-1916.
Turkey has recalled its ambassador from Paris in protest at the bill and cancelled all the joint projects with France. Even though the bill was not signed, the tensions between the two countries remain.
Francois Hollande is ready to make a step towards the Turkish authorities; however it will be difficult without Germany’s support.
According to French journalist Christian Makarian, Angela Merkel is likely to offer the Turkish Prime Minister all the advantages of partnership but for full membership of the EU.
Dorothee Schmid, head of the Turkey programme at the French Institute of International Relations, is uncertain about Merkel’s visit to Turkey. She believes Germany and the EU are interested to keep Turkey America's key ally in the Middle East. It might help to settle the crisis in Syria, stabilize the situation in Jordan and Lebanon and provide for a geopolitical NATO presence in Iran, Central Asia and Caucasus.
