German diplomat: ‘Turkey plays central role in Western interest’

It will not be a conference as usual in recent years, but not just an online one like last year. It will be something in between. By reducing the physical presence of guests at the highest level and journalists. There will be no receptions and social gatherings on the sidelines, there will be no press center, participants will have to do PCR tests daily. In short, it will be a strictly working conference in times of pandemic, as veteran German diplomat Wolfgang Isinger, head of the Munich Security Conference, said yesterday, speaking to foreign correspondents, which starts on 18.02. Yet. It may be the most important of recent years.

This can be seen from the confirmed presences. Top officials from all EU countries, more than 100 ministers, possibly US Vice President Kamala Harris, 1/3 of members of the US Congress and many others who remain to finalize their participation. “It’s proof that the physical presence, the dialogue, the confidentiality of the meetings is needed more than ever,” Isinger concluded.

“None of us is threatening the Russian Federation”

The German diplomat can not hide his satisfaction that the EU, through an observer, through the chairman for this semester, Emmanuel Macron, has taken an active role in de-escalating the crisis. The same satisfaction is expressed for Germany, that after an apparent, as it characterizes, hesitation, Chancellor Soltz “stepped on the gas”.

“There is no doubt that there is a side that threatens militarily. Even verbally, Putin has threatened Ukraine and denied its right to exist as an independent state. There are more than 100,000 troops around Ukraine. It is clear that none of us is threatening. The issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO has been on the agenda since 2008. Nothing has been done on this issue for 14 years. “The Russian side is complaining about something that is not up for discussion. I want to tell you something else,” Isinger said. “It was Germany and France that said in 2008 that we did not want to propose in a specific way the accession of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO. Since then we have considered it a step beyond the limits. “Nothing has changed in years.”

Especially for the enlargement to the Western Balkans, Wolfgang Isinger points out with a dose of irony that it can not be perceived as a threat or an entrenchment by Russia, because geographically the countries are very far away. “We have realized for 20 years that in the territory of the former Security Council there are relations and ties that are very important for the Russian side and some of its neighbors and we should take them into account,” admits the head of the Munich Security Conference.

“Turkey plays a central role in the interest of the West”

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu was also present at the conference. He may be accompanied by other Turkish officials. For Isinger, the geopolitical importance of Turkey is very important for the EU. ” EU-Turkey relations, even if at present the pre-accession negotiations for various reasons continue to be postponed to the distant future, I can say from my experience that , The Middle East, Iran, etc. We can do it better and more effectively with a partner named Turkey.The same is true in the Western Balkans, where Turkey plays a significant role.

The head of the Munich Security Conference draws attention to the EU. I do not want to take the path that Britain has taken in the EU and say goodbye, I want Turkey as an important, as close a partner as possible, nothing is more important at this time than security around “Turkey is playing a very important role, I would say in the interests of the whole West and of security and peace in Europe.”

Irini Anastassopoulou

Source: Deutsche Welle