Dreitägige Reise: Wüst will „neues Kapitel“ mit Türkei aufschlagen

Nordrhein-Westfalen's Minister-President Hendrik Wüst has expressed his intention to forge a "new chapter" in German-Turkish relations during a three-day trip to Turkey. Speaking at the start of his journey, the CDU politician emphasized that focusing on the positive aspects would facilitate stronger cooperation in the future. Wüst departed in the morning from Düsseldorf to Ankara with a large delegation, including an elite business group and more than thirty journalists.

He reaffirmed his desire to remain the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, stating that he aims to kick-start the federal government. His visit to Turkey marks the first time a North Rhine-Westphalia government leader has traveled to the country. The primary focus of his three-day trip is the 65th anniversary of the German-Turkish Agreement on Recruitment, which initiated the immigration of hundreds of thousands of Turkish workers to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Wüst will begin his visit in Ankara by meeting with Henkel and Atatürk's Mausoleum on Monday. The following day, he will hold political discussions in Ankara and proceed to Istanbul for an economic conference and the awarding of a tolerance and reconciliation prize to former German national football team captain Ilkay Gündogan. Wüst emphasized that North Rhine-Westphalia is "an integral part of our country," noting that one-third of Turkey-born people in Germany reside in the region.

German-Turkish trade volume stands at ten to twelve billion euros annually, accounting for approximately 20% of the total German-Turkish trade. Over 1,200 Turkish companies are actively operating in North Rhine-Westphalia, with more than one-third of all flights to Turkey originating from North Rhine-Westphalia airports.