German Lawmakers' Trip to Turkey's Incirlik Amid Ban Test for Relations

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A trip by the German parliamentary delegation to the Turkish Incirlik airbase in mid-September is likely to be seen as a test of relations between Ankara and Berlin, German lawmaker with Die Linke party Alexander Neu, who was a member of the delegation, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

A delegation of German lawmakers was barred in June from visiting the airbase in southern Turkey, which hosts aircraft from Germany, as well as the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Qatar who participate in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group, outlawed in many countries including Russia. Earlier in July, Germany decided to send a delegation to the base between September 15 and 17.

"A delegation of seven MPs has decided to visit the Turkish airbase in mid-September and this trip will be seen as a test of our relations," Neu, who is a member of the parliamentary defense committee, said.

Some German politicians called on the government to put pressure on Ankara to allow the delegation to access the base as it was the German Bundestag that made decisions regarding the deployment of troops to other countries, including Turkey.

Neu said he anticipated that Turkey would continue to deny the lawmakers’ access to the airbase.

The lawmaker explained Ankara’s opposition to the visit as a retaliation for the Bundestag passing a resolution last month calling the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I a "genocide".

Germany has military Tornado jets stationed in Turkey. It has been flying them on surveillance missions in Syria as part of Berlin’s commitment to the US-led operation against IS militants.