(Ankara) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has really set the cat amongst the pigeons,
by denying German MPs visiting Turkey from visiting 260 German troops based at Incirlik
air base. Germany currently has several Tornado surveillance aircraft and a refuelling
plane deployed at the base in south western Turkey. The jets are part of the
international coalition carrying out aerial attacks on IS positions in Iraq and
Syria. Some 260 German military personnel are stationed there.
This is the second time German MPS have been denied accesswith the first occurrence happening last year, that snub was down to how Germany
had recognized the crimes committed by Ottoman Turks against Armenians in 1915
as constituting genocide. The latest one follows Germany's decision to grant
asylum to a number of Turkish military officers, who faced persecution
following Turkey's failed coup on July 15 last year.
Whilst German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Turkey's latest move
"unfortunate" , she also stated:
"Germany could move troops now based in Turkey to another country if Ankara persists in denying German lawmakers permission to visit them."
