Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül met with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Istanbul on Thursday, where both officials held a joint press conference on the sidelines of the Ernst Reuter initiative for intercultural dialogue and understanding.
Gül acknowledged that pessimistic rhetoric about Türkiye's EU membership bid has generated a damaging atmosphere, but he expressed confidence that obstacles can be resolved through sustained conversation. He cautioned against fixating on setbacks, saying the accession path was always going to involve difficulties.
The two ministers also discussed the Middle East, Iraq, and nuclear matters, areas where Gül said Türkiye and Germany hold broadly aligned positions. He expressed hope that their shared stances could help advance solutions to those regional challenges.
On EU relations specifically, Gül stressed the importance of a constructive attitude from all sides, adding, 'I believe we can solve problems by talking.' He indicated confidence that the European Union would also make good-faith efforts to work through the current difficulties.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.