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The crew of the »Hamburg« approaches a cargo ship in a speedboat to control the UN arms embargo against Libya
Photo: - / Bundeswehr / dpa
Next round in the dispute over the investigation of a Turkish cargo ship by the Bundeswehr.
Ankara assesses the control of the cargo ship as unlawful and, according to the state news agency Anadolu, summoned the chargé d'affaires of the German embassy in protest on Monday.
Germany's Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, on the other hand, justifies the inspection of the ship by the German Navy as part of the EU mission against arms smuggling to Libya.
"The Bundeswehr soldiers (have) behaved completely correctly," said the CDU party leader at a foreign policy forum organized by SPIEGEL and the Körber Foundation in Berlin.
"They did what is required of them under the European mandate 'Irini'."
The "Irini" mission is supposed to prevent arms deliveries to Libya, a country with a civil war.
Soldiers from the frigate "Hamburg" had stopped the Turkish freighter "Roseline A" in the Mediterranean a good 200 kilometers north of Libya, as an arms delivery for the Libyan government was suspected on the ship.
A few hours later, Turkey, the state whose flag the ship wore, vetoed the search of the container freighter.
The German soldiers then had to cancel the mission.
No weapons have been found on the ship up to this point.
The ambassadors of Italy and the European Union were also called in because of the incident, Anadolu reported, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara.
They were given a diplomatic note in which it was made clear that the action violated international law and that Turkey reserved the right to compensation.
There was initially no official confirmation of the appointment.
A spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced on Monday that the incident would be discussed at the EU summit in early December.
Diplomats in Brussels added that punitive measures against Turkey would then also be discussed, and that this should be understood as a threat.
The operation to control the arms embargo was started by the EU.
Civil war has raged in Libya since the overthrow of long-term ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011.
The government troops are supported by Turkey, their opponent, General Khalifa Haftar, is receiving aid from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
Most recently, the conflicting parties agreed on a ceasefire at the end of October.
Whether it will hold is considered uncertain.
Kramp-Karrenbauer comments on Macron's criticism
At the foreign policy forum, Kramp-Karrenbauer also commented on a dispute with French President Emmanuel Macron.
He had previously reacted angrily to a statement by the Federal Minister of Defense that "illusions of European strategic independence" from the United States should end.
Macron told the magazine “Grand Continent”: “I think that's a misinterpretation of history.” Looking at Angela Merkel, he added: “Fortunately, the German Chancellor is not following this line, if I understand it correctly.” Macron demands a "European Army" and more independence for Europeans in security and defense.
At the SPIEGEL live event, Kramp-Karrenbauer said: “It's also about what Europe should do with this sovereignty.
It shouldn't be used to distance us from NATO and the United States. "She continued:" I haven't heard the Chancellor say that NATO is superfluous.
On the contrary.
In her first statement on the newly elected President of the USA, she made it clear that we must invest in the transatlantic partnership.
I agree with her. "
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svs / dpa
