A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry on Monday, September 5 said he was optimistic that Turkey would end its ban on German lawmakers visiting German troops working at a NATO air base in Turkey, but said no specific response had yet been received from Ankara, Reuters reports.

Spokesman Martin Schaefer said there had been intense discussions between German and Turkish officials about the issue, which had threatened to jeopardize German participation in the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

"We are optimistic and hope and expect that all the desired visits by German lawmakers for Incirlik or other sites will be approved by Turkish officials," Schaefer told a regular government news conference. "But we don't know that yet for certain."