German President brings doner kebab on ‘anticipated’ visit to Türkiye

This visit coincides with the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which emerged a decade after an alliance between Germany and the Ottoman Empire

The German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, arrived in Istanbul for his three-day visit to Türkiye– marking his first visit since assuming office in 2017.

The German President also brought the famous Turkish doner along with him as a symbol to highlight the contributions of Turkish cuisines to Germany’s culture.

This visit coincides with the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which emerged a decade after an alliance between Germany and the Ottoman Empire.

‘Türkiye important partner for Germany in NATO, G-20’

According to a statement from Berlin, during his visit from April 22 to 24, President Steinmeier will engage in political discussions and hold meetings with representatives from civil society and business organizations.

Scheduled for April 24, he is set to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where bilateral relations and a range of regional and international issues will be on the agenda.

“With his visit, President Steinmeier acknowledges the close ties between the two countries, and particularly wants to express his appreciation for the life stories and achievements of the millions of people of Turkish origin in Germany,” stated the presidential office.

“Türkiye is an important partner for Germany in the region, in NATO, and in the G-20,” the German presidential office added.

Steinmeier to visit Sirkeci station with Ekrem Imamoglu

Upon his arrival at Istanbul Airport, Steinmeier was welcomed by Istanbul Governor Davut Gul and Turkish and German diplomats.

The first day of his visit will be spent in Türkiye’s financial hub, Istanbul, where he is scheduled to meet with Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Imamoglu accompanied him during his visit to the Sirkeci train station, from where thousands of Turks, ancestors of the growing Turkish diaspora in Germany, departed decades ago for the “guest worker” program.

‘No coincidence that we start our journey from Sirkeci Train Station today’

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, stating that starting his visit with Sirkeci Train Station was not a coincidence, said that Turks who came to his country about 63 years ago are part of both Turkish and German history.

“This train station symbolizes the close connection between the two countries. Designed by the German architect August Jachmund, the station was the final stop of the Orient Express, connecting East and West,” he said.

Emphasizing that the 5 million German tourists who come to Türkiye every year show how close these ties are, the German President said: “Therefore, it is no coincidence that we start our journey from Sirkeci Train Station today.”

Pro-Palestinian protests broke out at Sirkeci station 

Despite the positive relations between the two countries in many fields, from commerce to culture, differences are evident in current affairs, especially regarding the stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Germany has thrown unconditional support behind the Netanyahu administration, amid conflict since Oct. 7.

Türkiye is a staunch advocate of Palestinian rights, with President Erdogan repeatedly denouncing what he called Israel’s war crimes and offering support to Hamas, which he brands as a resistance group.

The president reiterated his criticism in the presence of Steinmeier during Steinmeier’s visit to Germany in November 2023.

A group of activists staged a protest against Steinmeier at the Sirkeci train station. Carrying banners reading “Killer Germany, get out of Türkiye” and “Germany is the culprit in genocide,” protesters shouted slogans against Germany’s cooperation with Israel.

‘Turkish doner’ become kind of German national food

The German president hopes to highlight the contribution made by generations of Turkish migrants who have come to work in Germany since the 1960s.

Among those who established themselves in Germany was the grandfather of Arif Keles, a Berlin kebab shop owner invited on Steinmeier’s trip.

He brought 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of the universally popular snack to be served in Türkiye. The grilled meat artisan will serve doner kebab to guests at a dinner in Istanbul on Monday night.

The snack has become “a kind of German national food,” one of Steinmeier’s advisers said in a briefing. Local sales of the kebab total an estimated 7 billion euros ($7.5 billion), an immigrant success story the German presidency wants to celebrate.

Steinmeier’s trip is meant to underline that “the personal stories and achievements of four generations of Turkish immigrants” are part of Germany’s history, the German office said.

Around 3 million people with Turkish heritage live in Germany.

238 million euros worth of earthquake aid to Türkiye

On Tuesday, he will travel to the southeastern city of Gaziantep, one of the provinces affected by the February 2023 earthquakes that claimed thousands of lives in the country.

He will visit a school partially funded by Germany and a shelter for earthquake victims. The German government pledged 238 million euros ($254 million) in earthquake aid to Türkiye and Syria.

Business opportunities in Germany for Turkish companies

Mehmet Ali Yalcındag, head of the Turkish-German Business Council at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), told reporters ahead of the visit that the two countries had significant investment opportunities, especially for Turkish companies, for new acquisitions and mergers in the future in Germany.

Yalcindag said that the Feb. 6 earthquakes highlighted the importance of humanitarian investment. They believed that cooperation with German companies would help tap the potential of employment in the earthquake-hit region.

“We attach importance to the reconstruction of the region’s infrastructure and future standards, and we plan to work closely with our German partners, especially on smart cities concepts and the creation of environment-friendly cities focusing on green energy,” he added.

He underlined that Germany was among the biggest trade partners of Türkiye, pointing out the 2023 exports amounting to $21.9 billion and imports reaching $28.7 billion for the same year.

“But this does not reflect our true potential. We believe the potential is bigger and are taking steps accordingly,” he concluded.

Source: Newsroom