BERLIN (REUTERS) - Germany does not believe that a thaw in relations between Turkey and Russia will affect Turkey's role in the NATO alliance, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday (Aug 8).

The spokesman said it was important for both countries to communicate given the threat situation in the region, and their respective roles in ending the civil war in Syria.

"We do not believe that the rapprochement between Turkey and Russia will have consequences for the security partnership within Nato," said spokesman Sawsan Chebli. "Turkey is and remains an important partner within Nato."

Chebli also said the ministry had no knowledge that Turkey was using torture against those accused of adding a thwarted coup attempt. Both she and a spokeswoman for the German government repeated that reinstatement of the death penalty in Turkey would end its bid to join the European Union.