The Federal Ministry of Defence is looking at alternatives to the Turkish air base in Incirlik. A team is currently visiting an air base in Jordan to this end.

The German air force has Tornados and refuelling aircraft stationed in Incirlik, where they are supporting the international efforts to fight the IS terrorist organisation.

Federal Defence Minister to visit Jordan

Federal Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen too is to visit Jordan. In addition to the agenda already agreed some time ago for the visit, the Minister will meet with the assessment team in Jordan, announced the deputy spokesman of the Federal Ministry of Defence, Colonel (GS) Boris Nannt, on Wednesday at the government press conference.

The German government has always been clear that it must be "self-evident" that members of the German Bundestag are able to visit Bundeswehr troops stationed outside Germany, federal government spokesperson Steffen Seibert underscored on Monday (15 May).

It is then only logical to explore alternatives, as is now underway in Jordan, said Steffen Seibert, and added, “The Chancellor fully supports this approach."

Ban is entirely unacceptable

During his visit to the USA, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel has discussed Turkey’s refusal to authorise a visit by members of the German Bundestag with his American counterpart Rex Tillerson. At a meeting in Washington D.C. on Wednesday (17 May), Sigmar Gabriel asked him to use his influence over their joint NATO partner. „I believe that the Americans will use the leeway available to them to speak to the Turkish side and point out that the current state of relations is untenable,“ he said following talks.

Last year difficulties were already encountered in conducting these visits. Against this background, Martin Schäfer, Federal Foreign Office spokesperson, declared that the cancellation of the visit, planned for mid-May, is unacceptable. During the discussions last year that revolved around the entitlement of members of the German Bundestag to visit troops, the German government considered alternative locations to which the German troops could be transferred.

Possible alternatives, said Jens Flosdorff, spokesperson of the Federal Defence Ministry, include bases in Jordan, Kuwait or Cyprus. The technical logistics, however. would made the transfer a question of "months rather than weeks", he added.

In mid-2016 the Turkish government refused to permit a German Bundestag delegation to visit German Bundeswehr troops stationed at Incirlik air base. The ban was only lifted in autumn of that year.

Fighting IS together

From Incirlik air base German planes fly missions over Syrian and Iraqi sovereign territory as part of the anti-IS coalition. Following the attacks in Paris in November 2015, France requested support in the fight against the "IS". Germany is supporting the international alliance with Tornado reconnaissance aircraft and tanker aircraft for the mid-air refuelling of fighter jets.

On 4 December 2015 the German Bundestag voted for the deployment of armed forces to prevent the terrorist activities of the so-called "IS".