Berlin Will Try to Distance Gov't From Bundestag Resolution on Armenian Genocide

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert will make a press statement on Friday to try to distance the government from the Bundestag resolution that recognizes the Armenian genocide in order to resolve the issue of permission to visit German soldiers at the Incirlic airbase in Turkey.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — The German magazine Spiegel revealed that the spokesman is likely to stress that the resolution has no binding effect on the government and is nothing more than a declaration without any legal power.

In June, Ankara restricted the access of a delegation of German lawmakers to the airbase, where the Bundeswehr forces involved in the US-led coalition campaign against Daesh terrorist group are deployed, after the German parliament adopted a resolution calling the early 20th century Armenian massacre a genocide. Despite the ban, in July, Germany decided to send a delegation to the base between September 15 and 17.

On Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said German officials would be able to visit the base provided the German government "takes steps" to distance itself from the Bundestag resolution.

The Incirlik airbase hosts six German Tornado reconnaissance jets aircraft, as well as jets from the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Qatar who are participating in the US-led coalition against Daesh.