German minister urges Turkey to clear up corruption claims

  German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on Turkey to shed light on a corruption scandal that has been rocking the country, as international criticism of Ankara grows. "We trust in the strength of the Turkish state to clear up the corruption allegations that are on the table, irrespective of the persons involved," Steinmeier said in an interview published Saturday by the Bild am Sonntag weekly. He noted that Turkey is needed as a "stable anchor" in the Middle East. German press agency said that the crisis in Turkey started on December 17, when police raids in a high-level corruption investigation led to the arrests of 24 people, including the sons of three government ministers. The allegations relate to bribery involving public tenders, gold smuggling and illegal dealings with the Iranian government to circumvent international sanctions. They have led to the resignations of several ministers and a cabinet reshuffle. Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for a decade. Turkish police on Friday used tear gas, water cannons and plastic bullets against the demonstrators. Erdogan has repeatedly denounced the corruption inquiry as a conspiracy against his government.