German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted Saturday in Istanbul the "
very good collaboration
" with Turkey without hiding her criticisms on the issue of human rights and individual freedoms.
Angela Merkel, received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of his farewell tour after sixteen years at the head of the leading European power, assured that the same would apply between this "
important partner
" and the future ruling team in Germany.
Read also Angela Merkel defends Israel's security during her farewell tour
"
I have sometimes been critical of the developments we have seen in the field of human rights and individual freedoms
," she recalled.
"
The only thing I can tell you is that it will be the same with the next German government: the relationship between Turkey and Germany will continue, with its good and its bad sides,
" she said. insured.
A guest house
The relationship between the two countries experienced great tensions after the abortive putsch of July 2016 and the reprisals that had followed against civil society.
For his part, President Erdogan, who twice greeted his "
dear friend
" Angela Merkel, worried in advance about the result: "
It is never easy to work with a coalition
" like the one that is in negotiations in Germany for the formation of the future government, he said.
See also German elections: "After Merkel"
On the crucial issue of migrants, one of the main issues between the European Union and Ankara, the Turkish president argued that his country had become "
a guest house
" for refugees.
Turkey still hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees and 300,000 Afghans.
The Chancellor paid tribute to "
this important task
" and guaranteed that "
European support for Turkey will continue
".
"
Because we want to put an end to human trafficking, EU support is necessary: we have already paid 4.5 billion euros out of the 6 billion
" agreed, she insisted.