Germany: Turkey righteous in fight against PKK, but solution is on political ground

German Ambassador to Turkey Martin Erdmann has voiced Berlin's unconditional support to Ankara's ongoing fight against the outlawed Kurdistan workers' Party (PKK), while underlining that "a final and permanent solution" to the Kurdish issue could only be found on political grounds.

"Fighting against the PKK and defending itself against the PKK is Turkey's most natural right. However, according to the German federal government's conviction, this problem can reach a final and permanent result only on a political platform," Erdmann told journalists on Jan. 19.

"We supported the resolution policy that the Turkish government applied after 2013 and we have been very saddened that this has been interrupted since last July," he added, referring to the fact that violence between the security forces and Kurdish militants reignited in summer 2015, shattering a fragile peace process and two-and-a-half-year de facto ceasefire.

Erdmann's remarks came days before an intergovernmental consultation meeting between Germany and Turkey, which will be held in Berlin on Jan. 22. The first of its kind, the meeting will be co-chaired by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 

The German ambassador said Davuto?lu and Merkel had actually decided to hold such meetings a while ago, but it was delayed due to Turkey's hectic agenda in 2015, when the country was preoccupied by two consecutive parliamentary elections. He strictly ruled out suggestions that the refugee crisis encouraged German officials to accelerate plans for such a meeting. 

Erdmann also refused to comment on Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet ?im?ek's remarks, published in German daily Die Welt over the weekend, in which he said Germany must step...