How far can Turkey-Germany ties go amid controversies?

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to begin his three-day state visit to Germany on Thursday, where he will be received by his German counterpart Frank Walter Steinmeier with military honors and a formal state banquet.

Erdogan's visit faced protests

It will be Erdogan's first official visit to Germany since becoming president in 2014. A spokeswoman for Steinmeier said last month that Turkish president's visit is amid efforts by the allies to improve ties strained by a number of disputes.

Commentators have pointed out that Erdogan's push for a fresh start comes as the Turkish economy is struggling and relations with the US have worsened.

File photo of Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan /VCG Photo

Ahead of Erdogan's arrival, demonstrators in several German cities have already begun protesting the planned visit.

During the visit, large protests are planned in capital Berlin and the western city of Cologne, the German Press Agency (DPA) reported.

Schedule for Erdogan's visit

The Turkish leader is scheduled to land in Berlin on Thursday.

A senior Turkish lawmaker said that Erdogan will meet the CEOs of several major German companies during his visit to Berlin on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is slated to meet Erdogan for lunch at the same day and then for further talks on Saturday before he flies to Cologne, reports said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shake hands as they pose for a photo during their meeting at the 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels, July 11, 2018. /VCG Photo

The state dinner hosted by Steinmeier will be at Bellevue Palace on Friday, which evokes boycotts from several German opposition politicians.

Merkel will not be going to Bellevue. It remains unclear whether she was not invited or declined, a column from Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse said.

On Saturday, Erdogan will travel to Cologne, home to a significant Turkish population, to open one of Europe's largest mosques, commissioned by the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB).

Turkey woos better political and economic ties

The Turkish president said last Sunday that he would work on improving political and economic ties with Germany during his visit.

On discussion would be topics such as regional and global developments, cooperation in the fight against terrorism and irregular migration as well as the Turkey-EU relations.

Turkish, German and EU flags wave at Spreeweg street, Grosser Stern Square and Brandenburg Gate ahead of Erdogan's visit to Berlin, September 26, 2018. /VCG Photo

The statement from the Turkish presidency added that "Germany is a NATO ally of Turkey and one of its leading economic partners. Some 3.5 million people of Turkish-origin live in Germany, constituting another bond between the two countries."

According to a Turkish newspaper, Daily Sabah, Turks living in Germany will be another major topic of the meetings.

Turkey is an important partner to Germany

Merkel has repeatedly stressed the importance of good relations with Ankara, a partner she relies on to help stem the flow of migrants arriving on European shores.

The Turkish economy's strength is important for Germany, she said during a phone call with Erdogan in mid-August.

She once said that Germany has a strategic interest in Turkey's sound economic development, acknowledging that serious political disputes with Ankara remained, according to RTL, a German broadcaster.

Erdogan attends a press conference on the second day of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, July 8, 2017. /VCG Photo

Erdogan and Steinmeier reiterated their determination to enhance bilateral ties over phone at the end of August, saying that ministerial level visits will accelerate relations.

"We are determined to keep working hard to improve our relations," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said earlier this month, before leaving for a visit to Ankara.

Turkey is more than a large neighbor, it is an important partner of Germany, said Maas.

Strained Turkey-Germany relations

Turkey-Germany relations have been strained of late, mainly due to Germany's reluctance to take Turkey's concerns over terrorist organizations seriously, reports said.

Germany's best-selling "Bild daily" said it is too soon to roll out the red carpet for Erdogan, who just 18 months ago accused Berlin of "Nazi practices" for blocking rallies supporting him ahead of a referendum that gave him sweeping new powers.

"It will be made very clear that the relationship is far from normal," a source with close knowledge of the planning of Erdogan's visit observed to Al-Monitor.

However, an op-ed in Daily Sabah said that a vital new chapter of bringing both countries much closer together again will for sure have been opened by the morning of Sunday.

(Cover: Turkish and German flags wave in front of the Brandenburg Gate ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Berlin, September 26, 2018. /VCG Photo)

(With inputs from agencies)