German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived for a 2-day official visit to Turkey, held a meeting with Turkish Premier Recep Erdogan. Following the meeting, the sides held a joint news conference.

After expressing their his condolences on the death of people as a result of today’s terrorist act in Moscow, Russia, Premier Erdogan and Chancellor Merkel said their meeting had been an effective one. Mrs. Merkel addressed one of the burning issues, namely, the opening of Turkish lycées in Germany. She stated that Turkish lycées can be opened, which, however, cannot give grounds for not studying German.

The German Chancellor also addressed the problem of Iran. She pointed out that the talks are not showing any progress, and sanctions will be applied against the country if official Tehran fails to take concrete steps in the near future. The Turkish Premier objects to sanctions, as Iran and Turkey have a 380-km-long common border. Iran and Turkey are also cooperating in the energy sector. Moreover, the two nations have been friends for centuries, Erdogan said.

T.P.