YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Brussels on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Deustche Welle reports.

However, the heads of the two states refused to issue any statement after the meeting.       

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said within the frames of the summit Merkel and Erdogan discussed issues of concern between the two countries. He informed that Merkel once again stated that the visit of Bundestag lawmakers to German soldiers in Incirlik is an important precondition. Steffen Seibert said “in addition, the Chancellor again demanded that imprisoned German citizens receive fair treatment."

Merkel also pushed for the release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel, who was arrested over 100 days ago without a trial.

Steffen Seibert didn’t clarify whether the sides reached any progress over the issue of Incirlik air base.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made the comments ahead of a meeting with Erdogan after a renewed row over letting German lawmakers have access to troops stationed in Turkey.

“I will make it very clear to the Turkish president during our talks that it is indispensable for our soldiers to be able to be visited by members of the German Bundestag, as ours is a parliamentary military”, Merkel said as quoted by Deustche Welle.