Merkel to German Turks: Don't bring conflicts from Turkey to Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel listens during the news conference in Warsaw, Poland, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Thomson Reuters

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday urged people of Turkish origin living in Germany to take part in German society and not to bring conflicts taking place back in Turkey to Germany.

"It is first and foremost about not bringing the conflicts that exist now in Turkey over to Germany," she said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD.

"But rather, those who have been living here for years and perhaps also have German citizenship, take part in the development of our country and if they want to they are very welcome to do so," she said.

Merkel drew criticism for an interview published in Passauer Neue Presse newspaper on Tuesday, in which she said: "We expect those with a Turkish background who have lived in Germany for a long time to develop a high degree of loyalty to our country."

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