As the first foreign minister to visit the Turkish capital since last week's terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Germany's Joschka Fischer arrived Monday in a show of solidarity with the troubled country. A controversial candidate for EU accession, Turkey is still reeling from the recent series of devastating bombings.

Two-fold significance

Before his visit, the German foreign minister spelled out Berlin's current priorities for relations with the largely Muslim country, telling journalists at a press conference that "there may be divided opinions on the question of Turkey's EU membership. That's a political controversy. But it has nothing to do with these terrorist attacks. We believe that now is the time for solidarity."

Nonetheless, the trip gave Ankara the assurance it needed that Turkey's hopes of European integration are not threatened. After meeting with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gül, Fischer emphasized that the country's future had two-fold significance for Europe, "not just in terms of its geo-political situation and specific regional standing, but also as a large Islamic country which has the potential to link Islamic culture with a constitutional state, market economy and democracy." If this succeeds, Fischer added, Turkey could serve as a secular and democratic role model for the Islamic world.

Fischer stressed that although he supported Turkey's accession to the European Union, the Muslim-dominated country had first to implement pressing political and human rights reforms.

Increased threat of terrorism

With Ankara deeply concerned that the recent violence will damage Turkey's international standing, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül expressed heartfelt gratitude for Fischer's visit, saying that "Turkey will never forget this gesture from Joschka Fischer and the German government."

In fact, it's by no means a gesture with unanimous support back in Germany. Turkey's ambitions to join the EU were recently questioned by opposition conservative politician Wolfgang Bosbach, who suggested after the attacks that admitting Turkey to the EU would increase the danger of terrorism. Speaking on a television talk show on Monday night, CDU deputy parliamentary leader Bosbach again pointed out that in the post-9/11 era of the heightened terrorist threat, "we will not gain security by expanding the EU's borders towards Iraq and Syria."

Sacrificing democracy to security

Joschka Fischer didn't skirt around the issue during his visit, saying it was important that Ankara doesn't respond to the "barbaric attacks" by sacrificing democracy to security and turning Turkey into a police state to prevent it from falling victim to terrorism. The fear is a legitimate one, given Turkey's powerful military, which has a tradition of getting involved in the country's politics.

Abdullah Gül was quick to stress that terrorist attacks would not impede Turkey on its path towards democratization and the government fully intended to continue implementing reforms.

EU leaders are set to decide in December 2004 whether Turkey is ready to begin entry talks. Speaking in Berlin on Monday evening, Chancellor Schröder criticized the recent slate of "inappropriate comments" made by German politicians on the issue, and reiterated that the schedule would be maintained.