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Tsipras raises issue of detained Greek soldiers with Merkel

Tsipras raises issue of detained Greek soldiers with Merkel

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras discussed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday the issue of the two Greek soldiers who have been detained in Turkey since early March, ahead of her meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The discussion was held on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Brussels which started Wednesday and was attended by Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who briefed Merkel on the issue.

Tsipras is also scheduled to meeting with Erdogan in the same summit on Thursday, at 2.30 p.m. (Brussels time). Ahead of the meeting, the Greek Premier will speak with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades. 

The two servicemen were arrested after accidentally straying into Turkish territory, during a regular border patrol in bad weather.

No official charges have been brought against them and a court in Edirne has refused four times an appeal by their lawyers to release them pending trial. 

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