The negotiating process on the Cyprus problem needs to be accelerated, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Ankara on Thursday.
On his part Yildirim has said that Turkey’s government hopes that there will be a solution the Cyprus problem and that the island will be reunified.
In the meantime, tensions rose during a press conference Merkel held with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan following their meeting.
During the meeting Merkel referred to “Islamist terrorism”, which incited the reaction from Erdogan.
Erdogan asked Merkel to not use that phrase, because as a Muslim President he could not accept it.
He said: “The ‘Islamist terror’ expression gravely saddens us as Muslims. Such an expression cannot be used; it is not right because Islam and terror don’t go side by side. Islam literally means peace, it cannot be associated with terror. Therefore, mentioning it side by side terror saddens adherents of this religion.”
Merkel in her response said that there was a difference between Islamic and Islamist, adding that she has specifically continued to ensure religious freedom in Germany.
Source: SigmaLive Greek
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