BREAKING NEWS

German lawmakers nix Turkey visit after security detail dropped

BERLIN - German lawmakers cancelled a visit to Turkey where they had planned to talk to opposition lawmakers, governors and rights groups about last month's referendum, saying Ankara had refused to give them a security detail.
Claudia Roth, a Green Party lawmaker and vice president of the Bundestag (German lower house), said on Wednesday Turkish officials had informed her the German delegation would have neither access to parliament in Ankara nor security guards.
The visit's cancellation is likely to further strain relations between the two NATO allies that have deteriorated over Turkey's refusal to allow German parliamentarians access to troops based at the Incirlik air base.
"Yesterday we received the information that the highest level on the Turkish side considers that at the moment it is not suitable for German members of parliament to conduct political discussions in Turkey," Roth said.
"This is de facto a rejection of political dialogue. It is a red card for the German parliament."