The German Federal Foreign Office announced on March 17 that the German embassy in Ankara and the German consulate in Istanbul have been closed over the threat of a possible attack as German Foreign Minister said they received very serious terror attack intelligence against German representation offices in Turkey.

“We have received very concrete intelligences over the fact that there have been preparations for terror attacks at German representation offices in Turkey. Therefore, I decided for the closure of Embassy in Ankara, Consulate in Istanbul and German schools in the two cities last night. This was a necessary precaution for the protection of German citizens and working people have priority,” German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier said at an urgent press meeting in Berlin.

Steinmeier also advised German citizens to closely follow travel warnings in the upcoming days.

Meanwhile, German embassy officials in Ankara told Hürriyet Daily News the move was a “one-day precaution taken due to [an] unconfirmed indication of an attack.”

Accordingly, the German consulate in Istanbul and the Deutsche Schule Istanbul school have also been closed.

“The German Federal Republic Consulate is closed as precaution due to a serious warning,” a note at the entrance of the consulate building read.

The Deutsche Schule Istanbul also announced the suspension of classes for one day due to security reasons.
The school management issued a message to parents and students saying the school would be closed for one day on March 17 following a warning from the German consulate in Istanbul.

In addition, Turkish police stood watch for about two hours in front of the German Consulate building in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul as well as riot police and a riot control vehicle were deployed to the area.

Police also towed a car parked on the consulate’s street that belonged to a Syrian living in Turkey.

The Greek Embassy in Azerbaijan issued a statement sharply condemning the blackening campaign that the Azerbaijani news outlets have initiated against it, information agency Turan reports.

“The Embassy of Greece is deeply outraged and unpleasantly surprised with unprecedented lies and unfounded accusations spread by the local media. Greece participates in the preparation of European games at various levels, and is passionately interested in the success of the games. Therefore, the Embassy of Greece categorically rejects the anonymous allegations, where there is nothing but lies, and expresses its protest,” the Embassy said in the statement.

Salamnews agency adds that there were press reports about the President of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, refusing to attend the first European Games in Baku.

Some Azerbaijani outlets blamed the Greek Ambassador to Azerbaijan in recommending the government of Greece not to attend the opening ceremony of the European Games because other European leaders would not come either. He had allegedly been told about it in the EU Office in Baku.

This report was followed by the press release of the EU Office in Baku, where it denied the reports about calling on EU member states to boycott the European Games. The Office said it has no authority to recommend countries not to take part in that sporting event.

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No one safe in Turkey German embassy, consulate in Turkey closed over threat of possible attack

Greek Embassy in Azerbaijan sharply condemns Azerbaijani media’s blackening campaign against it