The Merkel government and its coalition partners in power in Germany continue to support Turkey’s policies of war.

A peace delegation heading to Erbil (Hewler) for dialogue regarding Turkey’s actions in the region, was blocked by the German police. The delegation included MPs and a number of internationally renowned personalities.

The Merkel government also insists on selling weapons to Turkey.

The Greens and the Left Party both submitted proposals to impose arms embargoes on Turkey because of its policies of war in the Eastern Mediterranean, Nagorno-Karabakh, Libya and Syria. However, the proposals did not pass the Federal Assembly.

The proposal prepared by the Left Party, entitled “No weapons to Turkey”, was also rejected by the votes of the CDU/CSU, SPD and FDP. The Left Party voted to accept the proposal in support of the Greens, while AfD deputies again abstained.

Another proposal prepared by the Greens, entitled “Cancel submarine sales permits to Turkey”, was also rejected by the votes of the CDU/CSU, SPD and FDP. The Left Party voted to accept the proposal in support of the Greens, while AfD deputies again abstained.

In the proposal submitted by the Left Party to the parliament, it was stated that German companies sold €128.8 million worth of parts and equipment to Turkey under military export permits approved by the federal government, as a result of which Turkey was able to establish a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The proposal argued that materials sent under 33 separate sales approvals between 2009-2018 were used in military UAV equipment.

It also noted that Ankara used military UAVs in its war against the Kurds in southeast Turkey and in the north of Iraq and Syria, as well as in Libya, and that there were reports that Turkish military UAVs had also been deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh.