German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Ankara in October 2006, holding one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the two leaders addressed reporters together. Their discussions centered on Türkiye's EU membership negotiations, the Customs Union arrangement, and Türkiye's domestic reform efforts.
Merkel stressed that Türkiye must honor its obligations under the Ankara Protocol, which extended the Customs Union to newer EU member states, including opening ports and airports to EU members. She noted that a Finnish proposal aimed at resolving the impasse had been welcomed by Türkiye and expressed hope that a solution could be reached.
On the Turkish community in Germany, Merkel acknowledged that language barriers were limiting young Turkish residents' access to education, and she said her government was committed to easing their integration into German society.
Both countries have committed troops to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which Merkel described as a difficult decision. She also met separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer during her Ankara stay.
Merkel and Erdogan were then scheduled to travel to Istanbul for a Turkish-German Economy Forum organized by TOBB and TUSIAD. Before leaving Türkiye, Merkel was also expected to meet with several religious leaders.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.