During a press conference by the German Chancellor with NATO Secretary General at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Mr Mertz was asked about her role in the alliance, saying that the issue was discussed at the two men’s lunch.
“We have to decide as a federal government on this issue if fighter aircraft can be delivered to Turkey,” he said.
Mr Mertz stressed that he is sharing with Ankara the willingness to “really have this close relationship with Turkey as a big country in our alliance”, and has known that he would accept the invitation of President Erdogan, who was forced to cancel the last time.
He spoke of Turkey’s strategic importance by saying that “it is a country that protects a NATO region that has a high strategic importance.”
“Turkey is protecting a NATO region of high strategic importance, it is a valuable and important NATO partner. I will do everything I can to ensure that this partnership in the context of the alliance can be expanded with Turkey. “
