Loading ...Turkey-Germany row over Incirlik base visit: ‘Provocation by Erdogan’
With growing criticism of his regime Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan needs scandals and grounds to strengthen his internal power, says Michael Opperskalski, international affairs expert from Geheim Magazine.
Ankara has blocked a delegation headed by Germany’s deputy defense minister from visiting the Incirlik air base in Turkey. The base, mainly used by the US and Turkish air forces for strikes against ISIS, is home to 250 German soldiers.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said visits to the base by non-military delegations and politicians “are not appropriate”. He added that military and technical delegations were free to come to the air base, Reuters reported.
In response, German MPs called on the government to protest and raise the issue at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The decision was “unacceptable” said Christian Democratic Union’s foreign policy spokesman Jurgen Hardt, adding that German officials needed to have access to their troops abroad.
The German media branded the situation “a political scandal” and “a diplomatic spat”.
Michael Opperskalski, journalist and expert on international affairs from Geheim Magazine agrees “it’s a serious scandal.”
He said this latest development is a continuation of a whole range of “scandals” the “Erdogan regime” has sparked with Germany and other European countries.
cont. https://www.rt.com/op-edge/348001-erdogan-turkey-germany-ban-base/