Erdogan has warned the United States that Washington may lose an ally in Ankara
The United States may lose their “sincere” ally, if Washington does not change its attitude to Ankara. About it as informs television channel NTV said on Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
ANKARA, July 29. /TASS/, “We’re not tied to US, they should not forget that if they do not change their attitude, will lose a strong and sincere ally in Turkey,” he said, commenting on Washington’s statement on the court case of American pastor Andrew Brunson.
According to Erdogan, Ankara “never conducted the auction in question Branson”, “Turkey will not back down because of threats of sanctions”.
Leader called the official U.S. comments on this “psychological warfare”.
A Protestant pastor Andrew Branson, who lived in the district of Izmir, was arrested in 2017 for alleged links with the outlawed Turkey Kurdistan workers ‘ party and “terrorist organization fethullahists” (FETO) — followers of the Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen. May 7 this year, Branson appeared before a Turkish court and denied allegations of terrorist activities and espionage, and on 25 July he was placed under house arrest. Prosecutor demands for him to 35 years in prison.
White house spokesman Hogan Gigli July 26, said the United States will impose sanctions against Turkey if Branson is released. Trump said he expects the return of the pastor in the US and has threatened Turkey with sanctions if it does not happen. A similar position was expressed by Vice-President Michael Penny.
The Turkish foreign Minister during a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of state Michael Pompeo on Friday said that Turkey “is not going to bow to someone else’s threats, and the rule of law applies to all without exception.”