Germany tells Turkey travel warning will be regularly reviewed

Germany will keep reviewing travel advice for Turkey, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told his Turkish counterpart on Thursday, saying any decisions were coordinated with the EU and based on reliable data on infections and the health situation.

Turkey is disappointed that the EU has excluded it, along with the United States and others, from a list of countries recommended for non-essential travel and has called on it to correct its "mistake".

Speaking to reporters after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Berlin, Maas said reviews of the situation took place every two weeks.

"Further steps will follow," said Maas, adding that family visits were excluded from the travel warning. This is crucial for the large Turkish community but Germany is also an important source of tourism for Turkey.

"This is about how we guarantee safe tourism in the corona crisis," said Maas, welcoming the latest information on the situation given him by Cavusoglu, adding, however, that could not prejudge future decisions.

"After evaluating the situation based on the objective criteria, Turkey should be listed within the safe and secure countries," said Cavusoglu.