BERLIN: Germany on Wednesday urged Turkey to work toward restoring ties frayed by a series of bitter disputes but warned that any comparison to the Nazi era was a 鈥渞ed line that cannot be crossed.鈥�
NATO allies Ankara and Berlin have been locked in a new row over the past week after several local authorities in Germany blocked rallies by Turkish ministers.
The dispute is the latest in a long list of problems that have plagued relations and comes just after Ankara鈥檚 arrest of a journalist for German daily Die Welt that sparked consternation in Berlin.
On Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the stakes when he told a rally in Istanbul that the blocking of public appearances by his ministers was 鈥渘ot different from the Nazi practices of the past.鈥�
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, after hosting his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu for talks, said he had 鈥渕ade clear that comparisons between the Nazi era and the cancelation of rallies or the rule of law in Germany are unacceptable.鈥�
鈥淏oth sides have a responsibility to simply not cross certain red lines, and comparisons to Nazi Germany are one of them,鈥� said Gabriel.
Despite Berlin and Ankara鈥檚 deep differences on a host of issues, 鈥渢here is no alternative to dialogue because that is the only way we can return, step-by-step, to a normal and friendly relationship,鈥� he added.
Ties between Germany and Turkey have been particularly strained since last year鈥檚 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan.
Berlin has emerged as a strident critic of Ankara鈥檚 vast crackdown in the aftermath of the putsch, which has seen more than 100,000 people arrested, suspended or sacked for alleged links to the plotters or to Kurdish militants.
Despite the tensions, Turkish ministers have been seeking to make campaign appearances in Germany ahead of an April referendum on expanding Erdogan鈥檚 powers.
The ministers are particularly anxious to tap into Germany鈥檚 Turkish community with its 1.4 million people who are eligible to vote 鈥� the fourth largest electoral base after Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.
Cavusoglu had himself traveled to Germany on Monday evening to address some 200 supporters at the residence of the Turkish consul in the northern city of Hamburg.
鈥淧lease, don鈥檛 give us lessons in human rights and democracy,鈥� the minister said, accusing Germany of failing to practice what it preached in reference to the scrapped rallies.
Earlier, during lunch with foreign envoys, the Turkish minister said the cancelations were 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� and reminiscent of practices in the run-up to World War II.
With the bad-tempered row showing no signs of abating, Gabriel has sought to prevent an 鈥榰s-versus-them鈥� sentiment from building up among Turks in Germany.
In a special message to the community, Gabriel said: 鈥淲hen there are political differences, Germany must not allow political disputes to be imported from Turkey.鈥�
Immigrants 鈥渇rom Turkey have played an incredible part in building prosperity in our country,鈥� he said.
鈥淢uch of what we have today would not have been possible without the help of Turkish workers or companies,鈥� said Gabriel.