Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel take a walk through the old town of Goslar in Germany. (Swen Pfoertner, dpa via AP)

Goslar - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday vowed to try to mend ties blighted by a slew of disputes.

Relations between the Nato partners have been badly strained in recent years, especially since the failed coup in Turkey and a subsequent crackdown that saw tens of thousands of people arrested, including several German or dual citizens.

"We have both given ourselves the task to do everything to overcome the difficulties in German-Turkish relations," said Gabriel, who hosted Cavusoglu at his home in Goslar.

He said they had "open talks held in mutual respect" although they "certainly did not share the same view on all matters".

Cavusoglu however warned against Turkey being lectured or threatened, saying: "These are not good methods, according to us".

He also called for deeper economic ties based on "dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation".

Military base

Their talks followed a meeting in Paris on Friday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who warned that there was no chance of Ankara's EU stalled membership bid moving forward.

Germany, home to a three-million-strong ethnic Turkish community, last year advised investors and holiday-makers to avoid Turkey and urged a cut in EU funding linked to Ankara's membership talks.

The crisis has been fuelled by other disputes: over a German TV comic harshly lampooning Erdogan; a 2016 German parliamentary resolution on the Armenian genocide and Turkey denying military base visits to German MPs.

Ankara has accused Berlin of failing to pursue followers of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for the 2016 coup attempt and of failing to crack down on Kurdish militants.

When Germany last year repeatedly denied Turkish politicians' requests to campaign for votes among the Turkish-German community, Ankara accused the government of using "Nazi" methods.

Ankara has in recent weeks sent a flurry of signals that it wants a return to warmer relations with the EU and Germany, at a time of tensions with the United States, Israel and some Gulf states.

Erdogan had declared last month that Turkey "must reduce the number of enemies and increase the number of friends".</s>Germany and Turkey will work to improve relations, the foreign ministers of both countries said, signaling that tensions in the wake of a failed coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be easing.

Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s acting foreign minister, said he and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, will recommend restarting a defunct joint economic commission and intensify dialog between their ministries.

“We have both made it our task to do everything to overcome the difficulties in the relationship between Germany and Turkey,” Gabriel told reporters alongside Cavusoglu in his home town of Goslar on Saturday before meeting for talks.

Relations between the two NATO allies and trade partners have been strained by a series of conflicts over the past year.

German authorities refused to allow campaign rallies by Turkish politicians before a referendum in April that ended up handing more power Erdogan, leading him to accuse Germany of “Nazism,” racism and fascism.

Turkey also imprisoned a number of German citizens on terrorism-related charges, including Deniz Yucel, a German-born reporter for Die Welt newspaper. Mesale Tolu, a German journalist accused of belonging to a terrorist network, was released last month.

“There are differences and there have been problems, even tensions and escalations, but we have the same desire to overcome these tensions through dialog,” Cavusoglu said. “There are many bilateral and regional questions our ministry experts should tackle, both on the economy and on political issues.”</s>GOSLAR, Germany (Reuters) - Germany and Turkey's foreign ministers on Saturday agreed to pull out all the stops to improve ties that have soured due to disputes over Ankara's post-coup crackdown and the arrests of German citizens in Turkey.

Meeting in an ornate imperial palace in central Germany, the pair said they were keen to make amends after falling out as Ankara rounded up suspected supporters of a failed 2016 coup, a comedian mocked Turkey's president and a German-Turkish journalist was detained without charge.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel pointed to historic links between the countries including the role Turkish guest workers played in rebuilding Germany after World War Two, Turkey's hospitality in taking in German refugees during the Nazi era and the 3 million-strong Turkish community here.

"We've both made it our business to do everything we can to overcome the difficulties there have been in German-Turkish relations and to find more common ground in the future by remembering everything that binds us together," Gabriel said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said they both believed they could tackle recent escalations in tension through dialogue.

The pair acknowledged that differences remained. Cavusoglu said one bone of contention was whether Turkey should be allowed to join the European Union - a move that Germany opposes - but he sounded a conciliatory note.

"There is benefit in pushing our disagreements aside and continuing on our path. We should focus on issues that serve as win-win for our countries, like the Customs Union," he said.

One of the disputes between Berlin and Ankara centers around the arrest of Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for German newspaper Die Welt. Turkish authorities accuse him of spreading propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). He denies the charge.

Gabriel said he had discussed thorny issues including Yucel's case with Cavusoglu but did not give details.</s>The frequently highlighted close friendship between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel was reflected in a photograph taken Saturday in Gabriel's home in his hometown Goslar, a central German city. The photo showed Gabriel pouring tea in Çavuşoğlu's cup from a traditional teapot, used to brew tea in almost every home in Turkey. Mirroring the warm atmosphere of the photos circulated in the media, the top German and Turkish diplomats announced their agreement to keep dialogue channels open as a step to normalize the recently strained ties, while acknowledging the existence of the disagreements.

"We believe that we can develop our relations in mutual understanding, dialogue and sincere cooperation. In the future, we need to start operating various mechanisms between the two countries. There are consultation mechanisms between the two foreign ministries. We need to take steps to build confidence to improve our economic relations, we have to continue to take concrete steps," Çavuşoğlu said during a joint news conference with Gabriel at the Kaiserpfalz Imperial Palace in Goslar.

The Turkish foreign minister said they do not have to agree on all topics, however, Ankara and Berlin should continue on a positive path of normalizing relations.

"For example, we may not share the same opinion on Turkey's accession to the EU today, but we should overcome issues, such as the updating of the customs union agreement and opening the negotiations, which are not steps that need to be taken to benefit the two countries, but are also steps that need to be taken with a win-win approach," Çavuşoğlu said. He added that the two NATO allies also have a common stance on the fight against Daesh, and other regional issues in the Middle East, including the refugee crisis.

Ankara's customs union agreement with the EU came into force in 1995. Both Turkey and the EU seek to expand the scope of the agreement, which is expected to have positive effects on mutual trade relations in various industries. However, tensions with Germany have crippled the process. During the election period in Germany last year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with young video bloggers that the EU would not enter into talks with Ankara on modernizing an existing customs union. Merkel's remarks were met with harsh reactions from Ankara.The Turkish foreign minister also underlined that the cooperation against the PKK terror group – which is listed on the terrorist organizations list by the U.S., EU, and Turkey – and also the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), must be strengthened between the two countries. The presence and activities of both PKK and FETÖ followers has become a matter of dispute between Ankara and Berlin. According to German intelligence agency BfV, there are about 14,000 followers of the PKK in Germany.

"We welcome the steps taken by Germany against the PKK and the adding of Adil Öksüz [a leading FETÖ figure said be in Germany] to the wanted list," he said, while adding that more steps are expected from Berlin against the terrorist group.

Öksüz is accused of being among the masterminds of the failed July 15 coup attempt, which killed 250 people and injured more than 2,000 people. He was arrested in Turkey on the morning of July 16, but was subsequently released and has since disappeared. FETÖ is led by the Fetullah Gülen, who currently lives in Pennsylvania, U.S., since his self-imposed exile in 1999.

During the press conference, Gabriel also said he agreed with Çavuşoğlu to do everything possible to improve ties between Berlin and Ankara, which soured in a series of disputes.

"We have a serious will in this regard. Together with my colleague, we see it as a common duty to overcome this tension," the German foreign minister said.

Gabriel said it was agreed with his Turkish counterpart to advise their economy ministers to reconvene a Turkish-German economic commission.

On the PKK activities in Germany, Gabriel said that German police are taking necessary measures against the terrorist group.

"Recently, we did not allow them to show their flag in Dusseldorf," he said. "Terror is terror," he added.

On Nov. 4, Çavuşoğlu had also hosted Gabriel in his hometown, Antalya, a resort town in southern Turkey. "I met my colleague @sigmargabriel in Antalya informally to discuss bilateral relations; including the difficult issues & mutual expectations," Çavuşoğlu had then said on his official Twitter account, following their meeting during the 2017 Turkish Airlines Open golf tournament held as part of the European Tour Rolex Series.Gabriel shared his photo from Çavuşoğlu's visit on his Facebook page. Çavuşoğlu's visit to Gabriel's home was the first time the German foreign minister hosted another foreign minister at his residence in Goslar.

Ahead of the visit, Turkey's top diplomat has expressed hope for better relations with Germany in the new year ahead of a meeting with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel on Saturday. He also called Friday for a fresh start in the relationship with Germany, holding out the prospect of closer economic cooperation if ties improved.

The ties between Ankara and Berlin were strained following the defeated July 15 coup, as Turkish politicians criticize their German counterparts for failing to show strong solidarity with Ankara against the attempted military takeover.</s>Gabriel: We'll do all we can to overcome difficulties in German-Turkish ties

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Saturday he had agreed with visiting Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to do everything possible to improve the ties between Berlin and Ankara that have soured in a series of disputes, Reuters reports.

Cavusoglu signaled on Friday he wanted to build bridges with Germany, Turkey’s biggest trade partner and an important NATO ally, after disagreements.

Follow Trend on Telegram. Only most interesting and important news</s>BERLIN (AP) - Turkey's foreign minister said it's time to reset relations with Germany as he prepared Friday to meet his German counterpart following more than a year of spiraling tensions between the NATO allies.

Germany's Sigmar Gabriel will host Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday in his home town, Goslar. A major irritant in relations between the two countries has been Turkey's jailing of several German or German-Turkish nationals, including a prominent journalist, on terror-related charges.

Cavusoglu wrote in an article for Germany's Funke newspaper group published Friday that "both sides have an interest in a new beginning," but said that only would be possible "if we break the current crisis spiral in our relationship."

FILE - This is a Monday, June 5, 2017 file photo of German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, left, and Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as they smile after a joint news conference in Ankara. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travels to Paris on Friday Jan. 5, 2018, for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, while Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will be heading to his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel's hometown on Saturday in a bid to patch up ties.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici/File)

He hinted at willingness for faster legal proceedings, but also urged an end to the "standstill" in Turkey's European Union accession negotiations.

A spokeswoman for Germany's Foreign Ministry said Saturday's talks would cover "the entire breadth of German-Turkish relations."

"Naturally this will include difficult issues," ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr told reporters in Berlin.

Aside from the detention of German citizens - seven of whom Adebahr said were being held for "politically motivated allegations" - Berlin's handling of Kurdish opposition groups and members of the Turkish military who have sought asylum in Germany are likely to come up in the talks.</s>GOSLAR, Germany (Reuters) - Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday he had agreed with German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel that “difficulties and disagreement” with Germany needed to be solved through dialogue and cooperation.

Cavusoglu signalled on Friday he wanted to build bridges with Germany, Turkey’s biggest trade partner and an important NATO ally, after disagreements such as over Ankara’s large-scale crackdown on suspected supporters of a failed 2016 coup and the arrest of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel.</s>BERLIN — The German and Turkish foreign ministers are taking small steps toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries. But they also made clear that differences remain.

Germany’s Sigmar Gabriel welcomed Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu to his hometown of Goslar on Saturday amid a wider effort by the Turkish leadership to improve the country’s strained relationship with Europe.

A major irritant in relations between the two countries has been Turkey’s jailing of several German or German-Turkish nationals, including a prominent journalist, on terror-related charges.

Gabriel said there has been some softening lately. He says he and Cavusoglu agreed to recommend that a joint German-Turkish economic commission that hasn’t met recently reconvene.

Gabriel says they also want to revive a “strategic dialogue” between the two foreign ministries.</s>'We have both given ourselves the task to do everything to overcome the difficulties in German-Turkish relations," said German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who hosted his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at his home

GOSLAR, Germany – German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu vowed on Saturday, January 6, to try to mend ties blighted by a slew of disputes.

Relations between the NATO partners have been badly strained in recent years, especially since the failed coup in Turkey and 2016 and a subsequent crackdown which saw tens of thousands of people arrested, including several German or dual citizens.

"We have both given ourselves the task to do everything to overcome the difficulties in German-Turkish relations," said Gabriel, who hosted Cavusoglu at his home in Goslar.

He said they had "open talks held in mutual respect" although they "certainly did not share the same view on all matters".

Cavusoglu however warned against Turkey being lectured or threatened, saying: "These are not good methods, according to us.".

He also called for deeper economic ties based on "dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation."

Their talks followed a meeting in Paris on Friday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who warned that there was no chance of Ankara's EU stalled membership bid moving forward.

Germany, home to a 3-million-strong ethnic Turkish community, last year advised investors and holiday-makers to avoid Turkey and urged a cut in EU funding linked to Ankara's membership talks.

The crisis has been fuelled by other disputes: over a German TV comic harshly lampooning Erdogan, a 2016 German parliamentary resolution on the Armenian genocide, and Turkey denying military base visits to German MPs.

Ankara has accused Berlin of failing to pursue followers of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for the 2016 coup attempt, and of failing to crack down on Kurdish militants.

When Germany last year repeatedly denied Turkish politicians' requests to campaign for votes among the Turkish-German community, Ankara accused the government of using "Nazi" methods.

Ankara has in recent weeks sent a flurry of signals that it wants a return to warmer relations with the EU and Germany, at a time of tensions with the United States, Israel and some Gulf states.

Erdogan had declared last month that Turkey "must reduce the number of enemies and increase the number of friends".

The main hurdle in Ankara-Berlin ties is the detention of Die Welt daily's German-Turkish correspondent Deniz Yucel on terror charges since last February, and of another 6 Germans Berlin says are jailed for "political reasons".

Turkey has in recent weeks released several of the Germans whom Gabriel has labelled "hostages," among them journalist Mesale Tolu.

Hopes grew that Yucel's case too could be resolved after the Turkish government this week addressed it for the first time in 10 months with a submission to the constitutional court, which could soon rule on whether to release him from pre-trial detention.

Cavusoglu stressed the independence of Turkish courts but pledged that "we're doing everything in our political power to speed up the judicial process".

Gabriel recently suggested to news weekly Der Spiegel that Western countries should tone down lecturing Erdogan's Turkey on democratic values because it could be counterproductive.

Calling for an "enlightened debate" on the issue, Gabriel said that "to constantly accuse each other of betraying values will neither get someone out of jail nor will it strengthen us." – Rappler.com</s>Germany hopes for improvement in ties with Turkey, FM Gabriel says

Turkey expects better year with Germany in 2018, FM Çavuşoğlu says

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has expressed hope for better relations with Germany in the new year ahead of a meeting with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel on Saturday.

The two are set to hold talks in the central German city of Goslar, Gabriel's home town, in an effort to steer relations between the two nations "on a better course," according to the German Foreign Ministry.

The top diplomats plan to discuss difficult topics, such as Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yücel, who was detained on charges of being involved in terrorist activities in Turkey.

Çavuşoğlu also called on Friday for a fresh start in relationship with Germany, holding out the prospect of closer economic cooperation if ties improved.

"Both sides have an interest in a new start in the bilateral relationship as we live in a time full of challenges," Çavuşoğlu wrote in a column for Germany's Funke media group of newspapers. "It is not the time for bullhorn diplomacy."

The two ministers are also set to visit the Imperial Palace of Goslar and take a stroll through the inner city.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained since the defeated coup in Turkey last year as Turkish politicians criticize their German counterparts for failing to show strong solidarity with Ankara against the attempted military takeover.

Ankara has also criticized Berlin for ignoring outlawed groups and terrorist organizations like the PKK and Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which continue to operate in Germany.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader, Fetullah Gülen, orchestrated the failed coup of July 15, 2016.

Despite disagreements, both sides have expressed interest in dialogue to improve relations between the two countries.
German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Turkish colleague Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu agree to improve relations between their countries.