NATO chief in talks with Germany, Turkey over air base spat

The chief of NATO has said he is in touch with both Germany and Turkey regarding their latest dispute over visiting rights to a Turkish air base where German soldiers are stationed.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told German daily newspaper Bild on May 21 he is focused on finding a solution and will not speculate over hypothetical questions, including a possible withdrawal of German troops from the İncirlik air base.

The German government said last week that it was considering withdrawing the soldiers from Turkey.

Turkey recently blocked a request for German lawmakers to visit their country’s 270 soldiers at the İncirlik air base. The move raised the possibility that Germany might relocate planes supporting a multi-national campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Stoltenberg also added that he regrets the quarrel between the two NATO partners.

A similar standoff between Berlin and Ankara over access to German troops at the base happened last year.