With the aim of strengthening Ukraine, Greece and Germany appear to be moving towards the completion of the circular exchange of weapons systems – German reactions to the Burbock trip.
In the wake of what was said in front of and behind the cameras during the visit of the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Analena Burbock, to Athens, Istanbul and Ankara, an issue that may have fallen into the “second tier”, given the interest in the issue of the Greek sovereignty in the Aegean, is that of the so-called “circular exchange of weapons systems” (Ringtauch), which was announced months ago by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and which ran into obstacles and delays.
However, as can be seen from Ann Burbok’s trip, there is movement on this issue, with the deliveries of weapons systems from Greece to Ukraine and from Germany to Greece being “closer to the gates”. According to the economic newspaper Handelsblatt, which cites German government circles, Greece is ready to send to Ukraine 100 Soviet BMP 1 tanks, if it first receives the German – that is, Western – armored Marder type.
The German Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed the information about visits-inspections of the said equipment systems in Greece and Germany respectively and said characteristically: “I think we are on the right track”. The German newspaper recalls that Germany is in similar negotiations with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland.
“Respect for Analena Burbok”
In the meantime, the political reactions in Germany about Burbock’s messages to Greece and Turkey continue. The head of the critical Foreign Affairs Committee of the German parliament, Michael Roth, expressed his undivided support for Analena Burbock and the substantial departure from the policy of appeasement to tolerance towards Turkey. “The German Foreign Minister took a public critical stance towards Turkey. Respect! If Turkey continues to violate its commitments as a member of the Council of Europe, this will have consequences. We stand by our EU partner, Greece. After all, whose elsewhere;” states the Social Democrat politician emphatically.
At the same time, of course, there is no shortage of criticism for the “non-diplomatic diplomat” Burbock, as Munich’s Suddeutsche Zeitung calls her. her “clumsy” style and saying that her criticism of Turkey “doesn’t help anyone”. As he said: “We need both countries as partners in the long term – not only but mainly in NATO”.
“No beautification as long as there are no sanctions”
However, the Left Party is also criticizing, in particular the Kurdish MP Sevin Dagdelen, who said that “there is no reason to beautify Analena Burbok’s policy towards Turkey, as long as it is not accompanied by consequences for Turkey” and while they continue “arms exports to Turkey as well as financial aid”.
The reaction of the president of the Turkish communities in Germany, Gokey Sofuoglu, also has an interesting ending, who expressed concern about the abandonment of the diplomatic language, both by Turkey and by Germany, stressing that this deterioration in the climate between Turkey and Germany should not to influence Turks living in Germany.
Dimitra Kyranoudis, Berlin
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
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