Merkel says talked through German-Turkish differences with Erdogan

WARSAW (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had talked through German-Turkish differences in a constructive spirit with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday but the issues had not disappeared. It was the two leaders' first meeting since the German parliament last month passed a resolution declaring that a 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces was a genocide, causing outrage in Turkey which denies the accusation. Ankara has since refused German parliamentarians access to the Incirlik airbase, where 250 German troops are taking part in NATO operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq. "We discussed all outstanding issues. The atmosphere was constructive... and very businesslike in an effort to solve the existing conflicts," Merkel told reporters in a short news conference. Asked whether they had been resolved, she said: "The differences don't just disappear through such a discussion. But I believe it was important that we talked them through." (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Paul Taylor)