Despite the fact that the Turkish authorities banned members of the German Bundestag from attending the Konya military base, NATO sent a letter to Berlin inviting German MPs to visit the facility.

In an interview withSputnik Turkey, former chairman ofTurkey's Council ofVeterans Koray Gurbuz said that NATO representatives have no right toexert pressure ona sovereign state and act onbehalf ofthe Turkish government ininternational politics.

"Turkey is an independent and sovereign state. And German parliamentarians must take this intoaccount. They can't visit military bases inTurkey when they want, even if these are NATO bases. To visit the base inKonya, the German government had tosend an appropriate request tothe Turkish competent authorities, and not toNATO structures," Gurbuz told Sputnik.

AP Photo/ Selcan Hacaoglu

"NATO's behavior inthis situation was inmy opinion incorrect. NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller sent a letter toBerlin inviting German MPs tovisit the base inTurkey. Ankara, afterall, had its reasons toban the Germans fromvisiting the base. And the behavior ofMrs. Gottemoeller was nothing else butexcess ofpower, which is unacceptable," the Gurbuz sad.

"According tothe norms ofinternational law and bilateral agreements signed byTurkey, NATO representatives have no right toexert pressure ona sovereign state and act onbehalf ofthe Turkish government ininternational politics," he concluded.

AP Photo/ Selcan Hacaoglu

Relations betweenBerlin and Ankara became tense afterGerman-Turkish reporter ofDie Welt newspaper Deniz Yucel was arrested inIstanbul inFebruary overalleged links toterrorist organizations and propaganda. The situation betweenboth nations worsened afterGermany banned Ankara fromholding pre-referendum rallies onGerman soil.

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NATO 'Has No Right to Exert Pressure' on Turkey Over Konya Military Base - Sputnik International