Erdogan lands in Berlin ahead of state visit to Germany

Erdogan lands in Berlin ahead of state visit to Germany

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Berlin for a two-day state visit to Germany.

Erdogan arrived from New York where he attended the United Nations General Assembly and met at Berlin's Tegel airport by German officials.

The Turkish President's official program began when his German counterpart and host, Frank-Walter Steinmeier receives him with military honours before Erdogan meets for discussions with chancellor Angela Merkel.

Relations between Ankara and Berlin have been badly strained by a crackdown in turkey after the failed coup in which dozens of Germans were imprisoned.

The Germany executive director of reporters without borders, Christian Mihr called on Merkel's government to demand from Erdogan the release of journalists "wrongly imprisoned" for their work.

In a newspaper interview, Erdogan urged Germany to designate as a terrorist organization the Fethullah Gulen movement, which turkey blames for a 2016 coup attempt.

Germany has previously rejected this request, saying it needs more proof linking the network of supporters of the U.S.-based cleric, which turkey labels the Gulenist terrorist organization to the failed attempt to overthrow the Turkish government.