BERLIN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- German lawmakers decided to abort plans to conduct an official visit to Turkey on Thursday.
The last-minute decision to cancel the official visit came after Germany was informed that the officials would not be granted access to the Turkish parliament or allowed to hold meetings with Turkish officials.
The purpose of the visit was to meet with parliamentary officials as well as other key social figures such as human rights lawyers and artists in Turkey to understand and discuss the new Turkish referendum and the ramifications it would have both in Turkey and for the EU.
Claudia Roth, Vice President of the German Parliament who was to head up the German delegation, told the media at a press conference on Wednesday: "Yesterday we received information that it is currently not considered opportune, at the very highest Turkish level, to conduct political talks with the Turkish parliament."
The cancellation is just one of the latest political moves that are causing escalating tensions between the two nations. "This amounts to a refusal to political dialogue," Roth added.
Earlier this month, Turkey refused German officials to entry into the Incirlik airbase where German troops are stationed.
