By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday it was necessary to amend Turkey's electoral law.
"In my opinion, amendments to the electoral law are necessary," Erdogan said in an interview aired live on private and Kanal D networks ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum.
Erdogan noted that amendments to the electoral law had never been high on Turkey's agenda, and the political circles were not keen on it.
Currently, there is a 10 percent threshold to gain seats in the assembly.
"I deplore Steinmeier"
Erdogan said he "deplored" new German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's remarks on him after the oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday.
"I wish he had not made such a statement," he said, referring to Steinmeier's words that Erdogan was jeopardizing everything his country had achieved over the past decades.
"We are watching anxiously as everything that has been built over the past decades is collapsing," Steinmeier said in his inaugural speech.
Erdogan said Steinmeier made a statement "targeting me although we are good friends".
The German president also called for a de-escalation of tensions with Turkey following the Turkish politicians’ sharp criticisms of moves by German local authorities to block planned campaign rallies by Turkish ministers.
“Reliable signals to reduce tensions are welcome. But unspeakable Nazi comparisons should come to an end," he said.
Erdogan said he would continue to make this comparison "as long as they call me dictator".
The president also ruled out any official visit to Germany.
"It is not on my agenda. April 16 will designate all agendas from now on. You will meet with so many surprises after April 16. And so will they [Germans]," he said.
Electronics ban on flights
Erdogan also criticized the recently introduced U.S. and British bans on in-flight electronic devices coming from certain countries including Turkey, saying Turkish authorities were negotiating over the issue to ensure that Turkey is exempt from this ban.
"I hope that this mistake is corrected as soon as possible," he said, adding security was important but "it should not be exaggerated".
Erdogan said that he discussed the issue with British Prime Minister Theresa May. "She told me that she knew how powerful Turkish Airlines was."
The president added that electronic devices already went through x-ray machines at airports, adding businesspeople and academics in particular needed these devices during the flight.
On Tuesday, the U.S. issued stringent regulations for airline passengers carrying electronic devices.The Department of Homeland Security said the restrictions would apply to flights from eight Muslim-majority countries, including Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport.
It cited fresh “evaluated intelligence” that suggested terror groups continued to target commercial flights by “smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items”. The U.K. later issued a similar ban on all flights from airports in Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia.
Medical devices are exempt but still have to be scanned before being taken aboard.
Russia and US attitude on PKK
Erdogan slammed Russia and the U.S. on their attitude towards the PKK terrorist organization. "The U.S. and Russian interest in YPG, PYD, and PKK upsets us."
The president went on to say that Turkey's mission in Syria would not be accomplished until these groups were ousted from the region.
"Nobody can say that Turkey should withdraw [from Syria]," he added, referring to Turkey's military operation against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria.
Launched last August, Operation Euphrates Shield relies heavily on Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish artillery and air support.
Top military chiefs of Turkey, the U.S. and Russia discussed the regional security situation at a meeting in Turkey's southern Antalya province on March 7.
Chief of Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar, his U.S. counterpart Joseph Dunford and Russia’s Valery Gerasimov exchanged views on the security situation in the region, particularly on Syria and Iraq.
The PKK/PYD is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey due to its ties to the PKK, which has waged a terror campaign against Ankara since 1984.
However, the PKK/PYD is viewed by the U.S. as its ally against Daesh in Syria and Russian forces are stationed in Afrin, the northwestern Syrian district controlled by the PKK/PYD.
Since civil war in Syria erupted in March 2011, more than 250,000 people have been killed, according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research puts the death toll at more than 470,000.
