Turkey: Visit to Incirlik Base 'not possible in today's conditions' - FM Cavusoglu

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• published: 05 Jun 2017
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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that it "is not possible" for German parliamentarians to visit Bundeswehr troops at the Incirlik Air Base "in today's conditions," during a joint press conference held alongside his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, in Ankara, Monday. SOT, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister (Turkish): "As you know, a visit to the Incirlik Air Base was on the agenda. We have been through this issue. As we have mentioned to [German] Chancellor Merkel during our visit to Brussels, our proposal [is] that German lawmakers visit Konya NATO base. We believe that this would be a good start. We have been through all of these options today. The visit to the Incirlik [Air] Base is not possible in today's conditions. I have also announced during a prior press conference that Konya Base is available for visits." SOT, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister (Turkish): "Whenever we get together with our German friends, [German newspaper 'Die Welt' reporter Deniz] Yucel's case is on the table. We see that Yucel is quite important for Germany. But there is this reality [and] Germany knows that quite well. The charges against Yucel are not related to journalism [but] to terrorism. This is a sensitive issue for all of us. Like there are independent courts in Germany, [the Turkish] independent court is investigating Yucel's case here. Once the investigation is over, the Turkish independent court will certainly make a decision on Yucel's case. We are providing all the support we can. Lately, a new fashion has popped up in Europe; in particular, the secret services have started using journalists as spies. Why? [It is done] to create pressure under the disguise of arrested journalists when they get caught. Recently, a journalist [from] another country got arrested. He took pictures of our military bases, [which are] restricted areas, then crossed into Iraq and shared those photos from there. Now they question us about the process, which we have started on the matter. You have the right to ask this if a person gets arrested because of [his/her] journalistic activities. But if he is supporting terrorism or if he is engaged in illegal activities, there are the corresponding charges, like elsewhere in Germany or other European countries. The justice is in progress, [and it is done] in a very transparent manner. We also have been through these issues. There is nothing I can do personally, but I can pass on messages to the related institutions." Video ID: 20170605 034 Video on Demand: http://www.ruptly.tv Contact: cd@ruptly.tv Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ruptly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ruptly