Turkey may deny Germany space at Incirlik following Genocide vote

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey is delaying a decision on allowing Germany to station military facilities at the Incirlik Air Base following the Bundestag’s resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

In response to media reports that the two countries reached a de facto compromise for Germany to set up military facilities at Incirlik, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said "the reports are speculative" and despite having received Germany's request, a decision has yet to be made, Daily Sabah reports.

Citing a Defense Ministry spokesman, a report in Deutsche Welle (DW) on Friday claimed the two countries had agreed on basic issues and that talks regarding the Turkish-German Technical Arrangement Agreement, which would regulate work regarding German planes and personnel at the air base, are underway.

Along with Canikli's remark, government sources in Ankara previously said that Turkey is still mulling over opening the air base for the German initiative. Enes Bayrakli, a foreign affairs specialist at the Political, Economic and Social Research Foundation (SETA), told Daily Sabah that even though Turkey stresses the importance of its position on Incirlik Air Base, he said that Turkey clearly plans to respond to Germany after the resolution that recognizes the 1915 Armenian massacres as genocide. While sources in Ankara previously said that Turkey will consider the issue along with the recent political developments in bilateral relations and that relevant works are still underway, Bayrakli said Turkey will also consider what it stands to benefit from the decision as well as the position of its NATO allies prior to making a decision.

Bilateral ties between the two countries have become strained since the German parliament (Bundestag) passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Responding to a question regarding steps Turkey intends to take following the resolution, Canikli said: "All of our institutions are currently working on the matter and deciding what can be done. This is a critical matter. … It is impossible for Turkey to refrain from responding to Germany's resolution."