Turkey: Germans initially denied visit make it to NATO base

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says a delegation of German lawmakers has arrived at a NATO air base in central Turkey to visit German troops stationed there.

Amid souring relations between the two countries, Turkey initially blocked the lawmakers’ request to visit German troops at the base in the city of Konya. Turkey later agreed to allow German legislators to take part in a visit by NATO officials.

Anadolu Agency said the seven legislators, accompanied by NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, had arrived in Konya on Friday.

The German troops are part of a NATO air surveillance mission supporting the alliance’s fight against the Islamic State group.

Earlier this year, Germany moved troops from Turkey’s southern Incirlik air base to Jordan over a spat concerning lawmakers’ access to German troops there.