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Germany Welcomes Turkey's OK for Lawmakers to Visit Troops

by Associated Press

   BERLIN --

   Germany has welcomed Turkey's decision to allow lawmakers to visit
   German troops stationed at a NATO airbase near the Turkish city of
   Konya.
   Turkey has been blocking German lawmakers' requests to visit their
   troops in the country in recent months amid souring relations between
   Berlin and Ankara.
   German news agency dpa quoted the country's defense minister as saying
   Tuesday that it was "a good solution" that the seven lawmakers could
   take part in a visit by NATO officials September 8.
   Ursula von der Leyen noted that the nine German troops were part of a
   NATO air surveillance mission supporting the alliance's fight against
   the Islamic State group.
   A spat over lawmaker access to German troops at the Incirlik base
   prompted Germany to move troops from there to Jordan.