‘We observe an increase in acts, discourses of xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia in Europe. it also worries the Turkish community,’ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his comments during a press conference on Wednesday.
A lasting peace and prosperity in Syria, where a new administration has taken charge after the fall of the Bashar-al Assad regime in December, is a “desire of all of us,” Erdoğan told a joint news conference with his visiting German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the capital Ankara.
Erdoğan on Wednesday said Türkiye will continue to cooperate with Germany on regional issues, including Syria, Gaza, and the war in Ukraine.
He said maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza, which took hold on Jan. 19, requires collective responsibility, and the international community must persist in efforts toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Speaking of Islamophobia in Europe, he said: “We observe increase in acts and discourses of xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia in Europe,” which also worries the Turkish community.
For his part, Steinmeier said Germany has a common interest with Türkiye to establish lasting peace in the region, noting that Ankara is an important actor in the process.
Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s widely condemned proposals to expel Palestinians from Gaza to countries such as Jordan and Egypt, Steinmeier said the suggestions caused great concern and are unacceptable under international law.