MPs From Germany Are Granted Permission to Visit NATO Base in Konya

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Turkey has given MPs from Germany the green light to visit soldiers from Germany in the NATO base in Konya province.

According to the German Press Agency (dpa), the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence in a letter sent to the Federal Parliament has informed that Turkey would not object to a visit by MPs from Germany to the soldiers from Germany on duty in the NATO base in Konya.

The visit is expected to be on June.

In March, Turkey had not granted Jan van Aken; a MP from the political party The Left permission to visit the soldiers in Konya province.

No solution regarding İncirlik base

No progress has been made yet with regards to issue that deputies from Germany were denied entry to İncirlik Military Base which has become a crisis between Germany and Turkey.

A delegation consisting of Chair of Federal Parliament of Germany Defence Commission Wolfgang Hellmich and other members of the commission had requested permission from the Government of Turkey to visit the İncirlik Military Base to examine the current situation regarding the fight against the İslamic State of Syria and Irak (ISIS) and as well as to observe the working conditions of the soldiers from Germany.

The visit was planned to be on May 16. Yet the government of Turkey denied the request of the german officials.

Upon deputies from Germany being denied entry to İncirlik Military Base, Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel stated that they were in search for an alternative to İncirlik base and that Germany would have to withdraw its soldiers from the base if permission was not granted.

Upon Merkel's remarks, Erdoğan had said "Then we would say them goodbye".

There are approximately 250 soldiers from Germany on duty on the İncirlik Military Base in Adana province of southern Turkey. (YY/DG)
Source: Doğan News Agency, Deutsche Welle Türkiye