Germany is freezing the modernization of Turkey’s Leopard tanks, a government spokesperson has confirmed, amid Ankara’s operation against the Kurds in Afrin, Syria. Turkey hit back by saying it expects solidarity from its ally.

Berlin will not be making any decision on “critical arms transfers” to its NATO ally Turkey, including the much-awaited upgrade of German-manufactured Leopard tanks, because of the military operation against the Syrian Kurds, Spiegel magazine earlier reported.

Instead, this matter will be passed on to the next government, which Berlin is currently struggling to form following the September 24 elections.

“The [interim] federal government is very concerned about the armed conflict [going on] in northern Syria,” Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told Spiegel.

“As far as the current discussions on weapons exports are concerned, it is clear to the government that we are not allowed to, and will not deliver [armaments] to crisis regions.”

The report said the Germans had initially agreed to modernize the Turkish Army’s ageing Leopards, an upgrade Ankara had been requesting from Rheinmetall – Germany’s leading heavy weapons manufacturer – since spring 2017.

However, as Turkish troops began their ground offensive against Syrian Kurds as part of ‘Operation Olive Branch’, the German government faced criticism within its own ranks that such a move would send the wrong signal, according to the magazin.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!</s>The German government is facing calls to halt arms exports to Turkey after reports emerged that German-made Leopard tanks were being used in an offensive against the Kurdish YPG.

Some German politicians have requested that any moves to approve a tank upgrade deal be halted.

Turkish-led forces began an assault in Syria’s north-west on Saturday.

The row comes just weeks after the two countries’ foreign ministers vowed to improve bilateral ties.

Relations between the two Nato members have soured dramatically in recent years.

Reports on Friday suggested Berlin was moving to approve a request from Turkey for German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall to upgrade its Leopard 2 tanks, to make them less vulnerable to explosives.

The tanks are thought to have been used by Turkey against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. However, defence experts have claimed in German media that recent images from Turkey’s “Operation Olive Branch” appear to show them being used against Kurdish groups.

Politicians from both the left and right have spoken out against the tank upgrade deal, and asked the government to clarify its position on the Turkish offensive in the Afrin region of northern Syria.

Norbert Röttgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said it was “completely obvious” that Germany should not provide the upgrades.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World Tonight programme the intervention by Turkish forces was “illegal, contrary to international law and counter-productive with regard to fighting ISIS”.

He said Turkey could not claim to be acting in self-defence because “there have not been any attacks on Turkey by Kurdish forces in Syria”.

Mr Röttgen praised the US for speaking out against the Turkish offensive, saying: “The Americans are the only Nato allies who are clear about what is happening. We quite often criticise the Trump administration but at this point they are more clear and more courageous than the others, and we should follow.”

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday that he had called his Turkish counterpart to express concerns about the humanitarian impact of the Afrin offensive.

Turkey’s president has vowed to “crush” the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which controls Afrin and more than 400km (250 miles) of Syria’s northern border.

On Tuesday the United Nations said an estimated 5,000 people have been displaced so far in the clashes in the Afrin region.</s>ISTANBUL - Turkey expects support and solidarity from its ally Germany in its fight against terrorism, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, after the caretaker government in Berlin decided to put on hold any decision on upgrading German leopard tanks in Turkey.



Speaking to reporters following a news conference in Istanbul, Cavusoglu said the meeting of a commission on the tanks was postponed and the move did not amount to halting defense industry cooperation between the two countries."While we fight with terrorists, we expect support and solidarity from Germany. We expect them to not support terrorists, but I know they are also under pressure," Cavusoglu said.



var cont = `Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>



`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; (function (v, i){ });</s>we have no information on the use of Leopard tanks,"

German politicians have widely opposed plans to provide Turkey with tank modernization upgrades after Leopard 2 combat vehicles were spotted taking part in the military operation against the Kurds in Syria's Afrin.Amid rumors of potential resumption of arms sales to Turkey,urged the government to reconsider such deals with Ankara,Agnieszka Brugger, a Greens lawmaker told the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper.Since the 1980s Germany has sold Turkey some 751 Leopard tanks, including 354 modern Leopard 2 type, which has been previously used by Turkey an a cross border operation against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists and US-supported Kurdish militias in Syria.Throughout its military campaign in the neighboring country, Turkey lost a number of 60-ton Leopard 2 tanks, built by Bavaria's Krauss-Maffei, due to mine explosions. Ankara has recently pressed Berlin and German arms companies to retrofit the hardware to offer better protection against enemy mines.The tanks used by Turkey come from decommissioned stocks of the Bundeswehr. The frontal armor on the hull and turret on the Leopard 2 is much thicker than on the sides and rear of the tracked vehicle.added Green Party chief Simone Peter.Even a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Norbert Röttgen, noted that it is "completely obvious" thatThe massive outcry from the German politicians was caused by the publication of pictures which allegedly showed German tanks used against the Kurds in Syria.distributed by the state-owned Anadolu Turkish news agency,"Apart from the images from the media that you all know,said Jan Korte, an MP from the Left. He noted that German soldiers are directly involved in the war of aggression against the Kurds by flying Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft missions and not doing anything to stop the bloodshed on the ground.Free Democratic Party (FDP) MP Graf Alexander Lambsdorff also expressed sharp criticism of the Turkish action against the Kurds in Syria.Despite the opposition to the Turkish campaign, Germany has so far failed to condemn the 'Olive Branch' operation. Instead, Gabriel expressed his "concern" during a phone call with Cavusoglu on Monday, while calling for a political solution of the crisis.Turkey launched 'Operation Olive Branch' against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG/YPJ) Saturday, following the announcement that the US-led coalition in Syria would create a "border security force" to prevent IS from regrouping in Syria. Ankara sees the Syrian Kurds as an extension of its domestic nemesis, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and considers their presence on its borders as a national security threat. To eliminate this menace, Turkey with the help of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) aims to create 30-kilometer deep "safe zone" in Syria's Afrin. At least 260 Kurdish fighters and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists have so far been "neutralized" in Syria, Turkish General Staff said Tuesday."It was a great, great mistake of the German government to deliver these small arms and major weapons to the Turkish army. It is no sensation.Grässlin said.</s>The German government is facing calls to halt arms exports to Turkey after reports emerged that German-made Leopard tanks were being used in an offensive against the Kurdish YPG.

Some German politicians have requested that any moves to approve a tank upgrade deal be halted.

Turkish-led forces began an assault in Syria’s north-west on Saturday.

The row comes just weeks after the two countries’ foreign ministers vowed to improve bilateral ties.

Relations between the two Nato members have soured dramatically in recent years.

Reports on Friday suggested Berlin was moving to approve a request from Turkey for German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall to upgrade its Leopard 2 tanks, to make them less vulnerable to explosives.

The tanks are thought to have been used by Turkey against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. However, defence experts have claimed in German media that recent images from Turkey’s “Operation Olive Branch” appear to show them being used against Kurdish groups.

Politicians from both the left and right have spoken out against the tank upgrade deal, and asked the government to clarify its position on the Turkish offensive in the Afrin region of northern Syria.

Norbert Röttgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said it was “completely obvious” that Germany should not provide the upgrades.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World Tonight programme the intervention by Turkish forces was “illegal, contrary to international law and counter-productive with regard to fighting ISIS”.

He said Turkey could not claim to be acting in self-defence because “there have not been any attacks on Turkey by Kurdish forces in Syria”.

Mr Röttgen praised the US for speaking out against the Turkish offensive, saying: “The Americans are the only Nato allies who are clear about what is happening. We quite often criticise the Trump administration but at this point they are more clear and more courageous than the others, and we should follow.”

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday that he had called his Turkish counterpart to express concerns about the humanitarian impact of the Afrin offensive.

Turkey’s president has vowed to “crush” the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which controls Afrin and more than 400km (250 miles) of Syria’s northern border.

On Tuesday the United Nations said an estimated 5,000 people have been displaced so far in the clashes in the Afrin region.</s>FILE PHOTO: German army battle tank Leopard 2 returns after NATO enchanced Forward Presence Battle Group Lithuania exercise in Pabrade military training field, Lithuania, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s caretaker government has decided to put on hold any decision on upgrading German-made tanks in Turkey as requested by its NATO ally Ankara.

Turkey’s use of the Leopard 2 tanks in an offensive in northern Syria has fuelled a debate about Berlin’s approval of arms exports, a domestically sensitive issue given the country’s World War Two history.

A government spokesman said centre-right Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Democrat, had agreed Berlin would not decide on the Turkish request before both party blocs had sealed a new coalition deal.

Gabriel said in a statement that arms exports would be a big topic for discussion in negotiations on forming a new German coalition government, due to begin on Friday.

“For this reason, we in the caretaker government agree we don’t want to anticipate the results of the current coalition negotiations, and we will wait for the formation of a new government before weighing up critical projects.”

Related Coverage Turkey expects solidarity from Germany after tanks upgrade move - minister

Gabriel said that Germany, the world’s third biggest arms exporter, was very concerned about the military conflict in northern Syria and had asked the NATO secretary general to advise NATO members on the situation there.

“The chance for political negotiations for peace and stability in Syria is there and must not be further hindered by military conflicts. I have repeatedly made this clear to the Turkish government.”

Germany and Turkey earlier this month resumed bilateral government consultations that had been suspended after Ankara’s arrest of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel in February 2017. The Yucel case, however, remains a major irritant.</s>we have no information on the use of Leopard tanks,"

German politicians have widely opposed plans to provide Turkey with tank modernization upgrades after Leopard 2 combat vehicles were spotted taking part in the military operation against the Kurds in Syria's Afrin.Amid rumors of potential resumption of arms sales to Turkey,urged the government to reconsider such deals with Ankara,Agnieszka Brugger, a Greens lawmaker told the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper.Since the 1980s Germany has sold Turkey some 751 Leopard tanks, including 354 modern Leopard 2 type, which has been previously used by Turkey an a cross border operation against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists and US-supported Kurdish militias in Syria.Throughout its military campaign in the neighboring country, Turkey lost a number of 60-ton Leopard 2 tanks, built by Bavaria's Krauss-Maffei, due to mine explosions. Ankara has recently pressed Berlin and German arms companies to retrofit the hardware to offer better protection against enemy mines.The tanks used by Turkey come from decommissioned stocks of the Bundeswehr. The frontal armor on the hull and turret on the Leopard 2 is much thicker than on the sides and rear of the tracked vehicle.added Green Party chief Simone Peter.Even a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Norbert Röttgen, noted that it is "completely obvious" thatThe massive outcry from the German politicians was caused by the publication of pictures which allegedly showed German tanks used against the Kurds in Syria.distributed by the state-owned Anadolu Turkish news agency,"Apart from the images from the media that you all know,said Jan Korte, an MP from the Left. He noted that German soldiers are directly involved in the war of aggression against the Kurds by flying Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft missions and not doing anything to stop the bloodshed on the ground.Free Democratic Party (FDP) MP Graf Alexander Lambsdorff also expressed sharp criticism of the Turkish action against the Kurds in Syria.Despite the opposition to the Turkish campaign, Germany has so far failed to condemn the 'Olive Branch' operation. Instead, Gabriel expressed his "concern" during a phone call with Cavusoglu on Monday, while calling for a political solution of the crisis.Turkey launched 'Operation Olive Branch' against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG/YPJ) Saturday, following the announcement that the US-led coalition in Syria would create a "border security force" to prevent IS from regrouping in Syria. Ankara sees the Syrian Kurds as an extension of its domestic nemesis, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and considers their presence on its borders as a national security threat. To eliminate this menace, Turkey with the help of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) aims to create 30-kilometer deep "safe zone" in Syria's Afrin. At least 260 Kurdish fighters and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists have so far been "neutralized" in Syria, Turkish General Staff said Tuesday."It was a great, great mistake of the German government to deliver these small arms and major weapons to the Turkish army. It is no sensation.Grässlin said.</s>The German government has been dealing with recent debates in the German media regarding the Leopard tanks that are currently being used in Operation Olive Branch against the PKK terrorist organization's Syrian affiliate, the Democratic Union Party's (PYD) People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which has received heavy military support from the United States.

The debates include claims that the Turkish military is using the tanks illegally. Ankara is a NATO ally of Berlin that has long been fighting the PKK, a group recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S. and the EU. Germany has also ignored the YPG's response to Turkey's attacks with German weapons as well.

Following the debates and demands of some German politicians to put an immediate halt to arms sales to Turkey, Der Spiegel claimed yesterday that Germany has stopped the modernization of German tanks that were sold to Turkey. However, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu immediately denied the claims yesterday, saying that there has been no cancellation of the upgrades of the German-made tanks in Turkey.

"A commission was going to meet regarding the tanks. That meeting is delayed. There is no cancellation of the modernization of the tanks," Çavuşoğlu said in a joint press conference in Istanbul with Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Berlin had put a temporary halt on arms deals with Turkey and that he had "asked the secretary-general of NATO to also discuss within NATO the situation in Syria and in the country's north."

A government spokesman said Chancellor Angela Merkel from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Gabriel, from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), had agreed Berlin would not decide on the Turkish request before both parties had sealed a new coalition deal, Reuters reported.

Gabriel said in a statement that arms exports would be a big topic for discussion in negotiations on forming a new German coalition government, which are due to begin today. "For this reason, we in the caretaker government agree we don't want to anticipate the results of the current coalition negotiations, and we will wait for the formation of a new government before weighing up critical projects."

Gabriel said that Germany, the world's third-biggest arms exporter, is very concerned about the military conflict in northern Syria and had asked the NATO secretary-general to advise NATO members on the situation there.

On Tuesday, Stefan Liebich, a deputy from the Left Party, said they must stop weapons sales to Turkey since "this is no longer a war we should play any part in." Agnieszka Brugger, a lawmaker and defense expert for Germany's Green Party, also said that the German government must not look away again and needs to clearly state its position on the Turkish offensive against Kurds in Syria.

The sale of Leopard tanks to Turkey started 35 years ago. According to information gathered from the federal government, between 1982 and 1993, 391 Leopard and 1 archetype tanks were sold to Turkey. The sale of German tanks to Turkey continued with upgraded models in the following years. In between 2006 and 2011, Berlin sold 354 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ankara. In 2005, Germany prohibited Turkey from delivering the tanks to a third country or party without its permission in accordance with the agreement between the two countries. The agreement did not have any other restrictions and removed the restriction that the tanks "can be used only in case of defense," which was valid for the Leopard 1 models for the upgraded versions of the tanks. The tanks were used in Operation Euphrates Shield against the Daesh terrorist organization, as well.

According to Die Welt, however, while Turkey is using German-made Leopard tanks against the YPG, the YPG also uses German weapons in response to the Turkish attacks."The fact that Turkey uses German Leopard tanks for their Operation Olive Branch and the Kurds oppose them with German weapons that were originally delivered to the peshmerga in northern Iraq, finally puts the fighting in the sphere of German domestic politics and the arms export debate," a Die Welt article said. However, this does not change that the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and U.S., is using Western weapons against Turkey.

However, this is not the first time the PKK's affiliates have been supported with Western weapons.

Germany has sold many Milan anti-tank missiles to the YPG, which were also displayed in the pages of Der Spiegel magazine.

Not only Germany, but also other European states have sold weapons to the YPG. For instance, Italy has sold mines, and France was supporting the YPG with military equipment.

The PKK has been using Russian-made DShK 1938s, a Soviet heavy machine gun firing 12.7x108 millimeter cartridge, mortars of various sizes, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other explosives.

It also uses Kalashnikovs, U.S.- made M16 infantry rifles, Austrian-made handguns and Russian- and Chinese-made RPG 7s – portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Most recently, the U.S. started to send weapons to the YPG, claiming that it is its partners in the fight against Daesh, as if these weapons would never be used against NATO ally Turkey. Despite Ankara's protests, the U.S. continued its support to the YPG for two years, referring to it as a reliable ally, which deeply affected relations between the two countries. On Jan. 16, spokesman for the United States-led coalition against Daesh Col. Ryan Dillon said that Syria's northern Afrin region is not a part of the U.S.'s area of operations against Daesh and that it does not support YPG elements in the area.

According to security officials in Turkey and Syria, the formation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) more than two years ago also provided the U.S. with an opportunity to deepen its relationship with the PYD and YPG.

The SDF was formed in October 2015 when the YPG incorporated several armed groups.

The SDF is used as a fig leaf to disguise U.S. support for the YPG. The Pentagon said last week that U.S. forces are operating in close proximity with SDF fighters in northern Syria, including near the Turkish border. Images from Syria shared on social media often show militants wearing SDF and YPG insignias fighting alongside each other.</s>Germany on Thursday voiced "great concern" about Turkey's cross-border offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria and called for NATO to discuss the operation.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Berlin had put a temporary halt on arms deals with Turkey and that he had "asked the Secretary General of NATO (Jens Stoltenberg) to also discuss within NATO the situation in Syria and in the country's north".

"We are committed, together with France, to stopping a further escalation, to allowing humanitarian access and protecting the civilian population. That has top priority," Gabriel said in a statement.

While Berlin and Paris agreed that "Turkey's security interests should be taken into account", he said that efforts to bring peace and stability to Syria "must not be stopped by further military confrontation".

He also said Berlin would freeze for now approvals for defence deals with Turkey -- including the upgrade of German-made tanks used in Ankara's offensive in Syria against the Syrian-Kurdish militia YPG.

Gabriel said Chancellor Angela Merkel and he had agreed that they would postpone any decisions until after their parties launch a new coalition government, which is unlikely to be before late March.

The German government has come under domestic pressure after battlefield images showed Turkey deploying German-made Leopard 2 tanks in its offensive in northern Syria.

Berlin-Ankara ties have only recently started to recover from a deep crisis after Germany criticised the human rights situation in Turkey, particularly amid a mass wave of arrests following a 2016 failed coup.

Germany has been particularly angered by Turkey's arrest of several of its citizens, including dual-nationality Die Welt daily journalist Deniz Yucel, who has been held for 11 months.

News weekly Der Spiegel reported that Turkey wanted Berlin to allow German arms maker Rheinmetall to overhaul its fleet of Leopard 2 battle tanks with better armour and defence systems, after several were destroyed by Islamic State group jihadists in 2016.

Germany had hoped that this would aid efforts to free Yucel, wrote Der Spiegel, although the government has denied any link.

Industrial powerhouse Germany is a major global weapons exporter, a sensitive issue for many voters who believe that profiting from military conflicts is unethical.

The far-left Die Linke and Greens opposition parties have demanded a halt to all military cooperation with Turkey.

Gabriel said that, "concerning the current discussions about defence exports, the government is clear about the fact that we must not and will not export into conflict zones".

He said weapons exports would be discussed in coming weeks in talks between his Social Democrats and Merkel's conservatives on whether to renew their current right-left "grand coalition".

"That is why we as the caretaker government agree that we will ... postpone any consultations on critical projects until the formation of a new government," Gabriel said in a statement.

Yucel himself said in a written interview with German news agency DPA from his Turkish jail cell this month that he was "not available for any dirty deals" to win his freedom.</s>BERLIN: Germany hardened its stance on Thursday (Jan 25) against Turkey over its military offensive against a Kurdish militia in Syria, which threatened to end a thaw in frosty relations between the NATO partners.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel voiced "great concern" about Turkey's cross-border military incursion, called for NATO to discuss the situation and said Berlin would put on ice any weapons deals.

Most painfully for Turkey, he postponed for at least several months a request to upgrade German-made Leopard tanks which Ankara has deployed in its operation against the Syrian-Kurdish militia YPG.

Gabriel said Berlin and Paris were committed "to stopping a further escalation, to allowing humanitarian access and protecting the civilian population. That has top priority".

Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks and hundreds of thousands of Kurds, and tensions heightened by the military conflict have again spilled into the EU country.

Kurdish protesters brawled with Turkish air passengers at Hanover airport on Monday, while in the eastern city of Leipzig attackers smashed the windows of mosques run by the Turkish-controlled Ditib organisation.

The tensions threaten to reverse progress in Berlin-Ankara ties that had only recently started to recover.

Relations had plummeted especially after Germany criticised the human rights situation in Turkey amid a mass wave of arrests following a 2016 failed coup.

Germany has been particularly angered by Turkey's arrest of several of its citizens, including dual-nationality Die Welt daily journalist Deniz Yucel, who has been held for 11 months.

But in a gradual rapprochement, Gabriel weeks ago invited to his family home his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at a time Ankara was releasing several of the Germans Berlin has labelled "political hostages".

Cavusoglu in the talks presented a request - for Berlin to allow German arms maker Rheinmetall to overhaul Turkey's fleet of Leopard 2 battle tanks with better armour and defence systems.

Berlin has delivered over 700 of the tanks to Turkey since the 1980s, including 354 Leopard 2 tanks between 2006 and 2011.

Turkey wants to upgrade them after several were reportedly destroyed with mines or explosives by Islamic State group militants in 2016.

News weekly Der Spiegel wrote that Germany had hoped that giving the green light to such an overhaul would aid efforts to free Yucel, although the government has denied any link.

Yucel himself said this month, in a written interview with German news agency DPA from his Turkish jail cell, that he was "not available for any dirty deals" to win his freedom.

The situation changed dramatically when battlefield images from Syria this week showed Turkey was using Leopard tanks there.

German weapons exports are a sensitive issue for many voters who believe that profiting from military conflicts is unethical.

The far-left Die Linke and Greens opposition parties quickly demanded an end to all military cooperation with Turkey.

And lawmaker Norbert Roettgen of Merkel's CDU party protested that "it is completely out of the question for Germany to increase the combat strength of the Leopard tanks in Turkey if the Turkish army is going after the Kurds in northern Syria".

Under growing domestic pressure, Gabriel put an end to the deal on Thursday, at least for now.

"Concerning the current discussions about defence exports, the government is clear about the fact that we must not and will not export into conflict zones," he said in a statement.

The topic of weapons exports would be discussed in coming weeks in talks between his Social Democrats and Merkel's conservatives on whether to renew their current right-left "grand coalition" he said.

"That is why we, as the caretaker government, agree that we will ... postpone any consultations on critical projects until the formation of a new government."
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, for the German caretaker government, decide to delay a decision on upgrading Turkey's German-built Leopard 2 tanks until after the formation of a new government coalition. Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu says Turkey expects "solidarity and support" from its ally.