BERLIN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday suggested moving parts of German garrisons from Turkey to Jordan following a renewed spat with Ankara.
Jordan has agreed to host the German troops at al-Azraq. "We should focus on this alternative," Von der Leyen said in an interview with local media Morgenmagazin.
Von der Leyen's advice was given after German-Turkish talks broke down in Ankara on Monday when Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu firmly refused to allow German parliamentarians to visit the Incrilik base in southeastern Turkey.
Cavusoglu cited the reason as Germany granted asylum to some Turkish army officers suspected of taking part in last year's coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Germany has stationed around 250 military personnel at Incirlik air base. Their duties includes reconnaissance and refuelling flights as part of the international campaign against the terror group -- the Islamic State.
German parliament will hold a meeting Monday on whether to pull out garrisons from Incirlik.
Von der Leyen said there would be a temporary suspension of the surveillance flights for a few weeks.
