KAHRAMANMARAŞ — German President Joachim Gauck launched his four-day visit to Turkey on Saturday. Gauck, like German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen who visited the country in March, was welcomed by ice cream makers.

Kahramanmaraş is famous for its thick textured ice cream eaten with a knife and fork. Gauck was in for a show from a group of ice cream makers, as he arrived at his hotel in the city.

The president was in the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş where German troops manning Patriot missile batteries are deployed.

Gauck, accompanied by his partner Daniela Schadt, German Integration Minister Aydan Özoğuz, the German ambassador to Turkey and the Turkish ambassador to Germany, yesterday met German soldiers deployed at Patriot missile batteries and visited a refugee camp for Syrians in Kahramanmaraş.

Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was in Kahramanmaraş last month and started her visit by savoring ice cream before meeting her compatriots deployed in the city.