TURKEY: ASSIMILATION IS A CRIME, ERDOGAN TO GERMAN TURKS
(ANSAmed) - BERLIN, FEBRUARY 11 - Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan added yesterday fuel to the fire of the
polemics recently sparked off in Germany on the integration of
the Turkish immigrants in the country, warning the German
Turkish community against an excessive adaptation to the
national culture.
"Assimilation is a crime against humanity", Erdogan said in
Cologne, during his visit in Germany, in front of an audience of
16,000 people, the majority of whom Turkish immigrants.
Erdogan's proposal to open schools of Turkish language in
Germany also to favour the integration of the Turkish immigrants
in the country was strongly criticised recently by the German
political world.
Leader of conservative party CSU, Erwin Huber, said that if
the proposal were launched, it would be a poison for integration
and would lead to the creation of ghettos, as well as to the
establishment of a mini-Turkey in Germany.
Yesterday Erdogan said that it is important to learn German,
however he underlined that the Turkish language could not be
neglected, in order to protect the Turkish students from the
challenge to maintain their identity and their culture.
(ANSAmed).
2008-02-11 13:00