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Germany may move soldiers from Turkey if its MPs denied access

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ANKARA/BERLIN: Germany could restation troops based in Turkey to another country if Ankara persists in denying German lawmakers permission to visit them, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday, highlighting renewed strains between the Nato allies.


Some 250 German troops are stationed at Incirlik air force base, contributing to Nato’s mission targeting IS militants in neighbouring Syria.


Turkish foreign ministry said a visit by German parliamentarians would not be appropriate at this time, without elaborating.


Turkey similarly refused access to German parliamentarians late last year, though that visit eventually went ahead. “We will continue to talk with Turkey, but in parallel we will have to explore other ways of fulfilling our mandate,” Merkel told reporters.


“That means looking at alternatives to Incirlik, and one alternative among others is Jordan,” she said.


For historic reasons and to prevent abuse of power, the Bundeswehr army is controlled by the German parliament, not the government, meaning that lawmakers have the right to inspect its activities, including outside the country.


A spokesman for the German foreign minister said it was “completely unacceptable” for Turkey to keep members of the parliamentary defence committee from visiting their own soldiers.


Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel will raise the issue with colleagues from other Nato governments in Washington on Tuesday, the spokesman added.


— Reuters


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