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German lawmakers keep planes in Turkey in anti-IS campaign
BERLIN – German lawmakers have approved plans to keep reconnaissance and refuelling aircraft at a Turkish base in the campaign against the Islamic State group, despite tensions with Turkey’s government.
Parliament approved a one-year deployment extension Thursday by 445-139 with two abstentions.
German-Turkish relations have been tense since Germany’s Parliament voted in June to label killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago genocide.
Ankara had refused to let German lawmakers visit personnel stationed at the Incirlik base, but relented after Germany stressed the resolution isn’t legally binding.
Government lawmaker Niels Annen says “this isn’t a deployment for Turkey and definitely not for the Turkish government or its president” but against international terrorism.
The government stated it will press Turkey to allow further lawmaker visits and also examine alternatives to Incirlik.
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