Photo: DPAChancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday told Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim that hurdles remain on the path to restoring frayed ties while a German-Turkish journalist remains in jail. Speaking at a Berlin joint press conference with Yildirim, Merkel said that both sides "have an interest in improving ties -- possibly on the basis of shared values, but that isn't easy right now". SEE ALSO: One year on and German journalist still sits in Turkish jail without chargeSuch detentions had "clouded" relations and marked a continuing "burden", she said. The premier insisted on the independence of Turkish courts and added: "We do not want this case to hurt ... relations between Germany and Turkey". "If you want to know what's really going on in Afrin, go over there and you'll see what's really going on there," he said.

Source: The Local February 15, 2018 18:33 UTC