Turkish president heads to Germany to reduce tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is heading to Germany for a visit aimed at reducing tensions between the two NATO allies. The trip, from Thursday to Saturday, comes at a time when Turkey’s economic troubles are causing growing concerns and Europe needs Ankara’s support in reducing the flow of migrants. It is Erdogan’s first formal state visit to Germany, where he is viewed with suspicion across the political spectrum, AP said. In the past year, Erdogan accused German officials of acting like Nazis, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to condemn the Turkish president’s words. In an opinion piece in Thursday’s FAZ newspaper, Erdogan said it was time to “set aside our differences of opinion and concentrate on our joint interests.”