Erdogan says Merkel had much more positive tone about Turkey-EU relations

Speaking to reporters in plane en route from Berlin to Ankara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan evaluated his two-day official visit to Germany and his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.  Erdogan said that Merkel seemed to be more in favor of adopting a tougher attitude towards people affiliated with the terrorist PKK as well as about the visa issue and opening a German university in Turkey and opening a Turkish one in Germany. Erdogan said that they wanted to set up a strategic council between the two countries, and the ministers of foreign affairs of both countries would get together on Nov. 30, after which Merkel would pay a visit to Turkey in February 2013 towards that end. Stating that he believes that Merkel had a much more positive tone regarding Turkey-EU relations, Erdogan said, "In the joint press conference, she didn't emphasize Turkey's position in relation to the EU as a privileged partner, in contrast to her earlier attitude. And with François Hollande in power in France, France's attitude towards Turkey may also change. Hollande is no Nicolas Sarkozy." Touching on the crisis in Syria, Erdogan said he suggested to the Germans that NATO should also see the problem in Syria as its own. Erdogan also said that they would not allow an autonomous Kurdish area, like the one in Iraq, to be formed in the north of Syria, noting, "Should a similar development take place [in Syria], we would react differently than how we did in the case of Iraq." Erdogan added that he planned to visit Gaza soon and that authorities are in mutual talks with officials in Gaza to realize this trip.