Davutoglu: ”Merkes's remarks on German's failed multiculturalism were a bitter confession”

Speaking to Star daily on the sidelines of his talks in Kuwait yesterday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called German Chancellor Angela Merkel's latest remarks on the "failure" of multiculturalism in Germany a "bitter confession." Germany's attempt to create a multicultural society has failed completely, Merkel said over the weekend, calling on the country's immigrants to learn German and adopt Christian values. Merkel's remarks added fuel to the country's heated debate on the integration of migrants and gave a boon to anti-immigrant sentiments. Merkel's words were also contradicted by recent remarks by German President Christian Wulff, who is visiting Ankara this week, saying that Islam is now a part of German society. "It's a bitter confession but reflects a historical truth," said Davutoglu. "If there is no concept of multiculturalism in a nation's history and political philosophy, it's very hard to create one after the fact." He added, "Our history cherishes the concept of multiculturalism, which is why Turkey very easily shows healthy treatment of others and has adapted itself to modern times."