- Title: German DefMin-Bundeswehr prepared for move from Turkey to Jordan
- Date: 5th June 2017
- Summary: HANOVER, GERMANY (JUNE 5, 2017) (REUTERS) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER URSULA VON DER LEYEN WALKING TO MICROPHONES (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING: "Incirlik was a good air base for the fight against IS. But it is not acceptable for our lawmakers not to be able to visit the soldiers in Incirlik. Therefore, we will discuss that in the German cabinet on Wednesday and decide how to go on from there. The Bundeswehr (German army) is well prepared for a relocation. There is an alternative air base in Jordan, Al Azraq. I have been there myself recently to get pictures and see it for myself. And I spoke to the Jordanian king. He is offering us his hospitality and his support." TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING: "Of course, a relocation will cost time. Because relocating 280 soldiers from Incirlik to Jordan, at least 200 containers, 10,000 tons of material is a fair bit and it will be an interruption of our air reconnaissance and aircraft tanking missions in the fight against IS. But we will do everything in our power to keep that interruption as short as possible." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING: "It is important to be prepared. But the decision as to where we will be relocated to and whether we relocate that will be made on Wednesday in the German cabinet." CAMERA VON DER LEYEN WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 19th June 2017 17:18
- Keywords: Ursula von der Leyen Incirlik Turkey Germany
- Location: HANOVER, GERMANY
- City: HANOVER, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: NATO,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016K04P53
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday (June 5) that the German army (Bundeswehr) was well prepared to move from Turkey to Jordan, after German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said in Ankara that Germany would have to pull its forces out of the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey because of Turkish government restrictions on German lawmakers seeking to visit troops there.
Incirlik was a "good air base" in the fight against IS, von der Leyen said, but it was not acceptable that German lawmakers could not visit the soldiers stationed in Incirlik.
The German cabinet will discuss the issue on Wednesday (June 7) during their weekly meeting and decide how to progress from there.
Turkey has prevented German lawmakers from visiting the roughly 250 troops stationed at Incirlik as part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, saying that Germany needs to improve its attitude first.
The troops are part of a German mission providing reconnaissance aircraft to support coalition operations in Iraq and Syria. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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