Turkey summons US ambassador over arrest warrants
Turkey summoned the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara, John Bass, to the Foreign Office on Thursday after American authorities issued arrest warrants for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bodyguards, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, APA reports quoting Anadolu agency.
Earlier in the day, the U.S. authority had issued arrest warrants for 16 people, including 12 bodyguards of the Turkish president, over an incident in May outside Turkey's Washington embassy when several people were injured during a brawl; Erdogan was on an official visit to the U.S. at the time of the incident.
In the statement, the Foreign Ministry said it summoned the American ambassador “upon learning that the U.S. authorities have issued arrest warrants for some Turkish citizens and some of the security personnel of our president, due to the incident that took place in front of the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. on May 16th.”
Ankara told the U.S. ambassador that the decision to issue the warrants was “wrong” and “unacceptable”.
“It has been conveyed to the ambassador that this decision taken by U.S. authorities is wrong, biased and lacks legal basis,” the statement said.
The ministry also told Bass “that the brawl in front of the Turkish ambassador’s residence was caused by the failure of local security authorities to take necessary measures; that this incident would not have occurred if the U.S. authorities had taken the usual measures they take in similar high-level visits and, therefore, Turkish citizens cannot be held responsible for the incident that took place.
“The ambassador of the United States of America in Ankara has also been informed that the tolerance of the U.S. authorities towards the so-called protesters to approach as close as a few meters to the Turkish residence with flags and symbols of terrorist organization and their assault to innocent citizens, as well as the lack of any action taken against the U.S. security personnel who assaulted the security guards of our minister in front of the chancery run counter to any understanding of justice.”
The ministry added that “the decision, which clearly was not taken as a result of an impartial and independent investigation, is unacceptable.”
Related news releases
19.04.2018
OSCE/ODIHR director urges Armenian authorities to ensure right to freedom of peaceful assembly19.04.2018
Deputy Prime Minister: "Turkish State of Emergency to not effect snap elections"19.04.2018
PM Kvirikashvili: Ethnic minorities in Georgia should be informed about benefits of NATO integration19.04.2018
German leaders to seek waivers from US sanctions on Russia19.04.2018
Basque separatist group ETA to be dissolved in May19.04.2018
MHP to support Erdogan in snap presidential election18.04.2018
Turkey extends state of emergency for 7th time18.04.2018
Turkey’s Erdogan announces snap elections on June 2418.04.2018
Turkey rejects allegations in EU report17.04.2018
US: Plane makes emergency landing after engine failure17.04.2018
Turkey to extend state of emergency for 3 more months17.04.2018
Turkey's security council advises extending emergency17.04.2018
Georgian interior minister: Sustainable economic growth impossible without security17.04.2018
8 killed in severe road accident in southern Ukraine17.04.2018
British PM May defends Syria strikes against parliament critics16.04.2018
Erdogan, Merkel discuss Syria over phone16.04.2018
Erdogan: West tries to tarnish Islamic world through terrorist organizations16.04.2018
Stoltenberg says no other NATO ally suffers as much from terrorist attacks as Turkey16.04.2018
Turkey warns Greece over disputed Aegean islets16.04.2018
Leader of Georgia’s Girchi Zurab Japaridze says he will run for president in 201816.04.2018
Turkey’s Patriotic Party: Appropriate measures to be taken to prevent “Armenian genocide” board from being hung on church wall in Amsterdam15.04.2018
France, US, UK launch joint draft resolution on Syria15.04.2018
Putin, Erdogan agree to intensify bilateral cooperation on Syrian issue14.04.2018
Turkish, French presidents discuss Syria over phone14.04.2018
Turkey not making choice between Russia, US: Cavusoglu14.04.2018
Germany, France to initiate new format of talks on Syrian settlement14.04.2018
Turkish FM: We need to get rid of Assad14.04.2018
Georgian FM supports US and allies on Syrian operation14.04.2018
Turkey says was informed ahead of air strikes on Syria14.04.2018
Turkey welcomes US-led joint airstrikes in Syria14.04.2018
Catalan parliament calls for Spanish judge to be charged over jailed politician13.04.2018
Russia spied on Skripal and daughter for at least 5 years: UK13.04.2018
Turkey slams Switzerland over 'Armenian Monument'13.04.2018
Macron urges stepped-up dialogue with Russia over Syria13.04.2018
Sweden submits new draft resolution on Syria to UN Security Council12.04.2018
Turkish, Greek PMs discuss jet fighter crash12.04.2018
Macron claims to have proof of chemical weapons use by Syrian government12.04.2018
Salisbury attack: Chemical weapons watchdog confirms UK findings on nerve agent12.04.2018
Erdogan, Trump discuss Syria in phone call11.04.2018
Fighter jet accidentally bombs working factory in France16.06.2017
Turkish police detain man near US consulate in Istanbul over potential attack16.06.2017
Abkhazian IDPs hold protest outside Armenian embassy in Tbilisi17.06.2017
London protests held as anger mounts over Grenfell fire16.06.2017
Eurozone ministers strike deal to release funds to Greece16.06.2017
Erdogan slams US move to issue warrants for bodyguards15.06.2017
Brexit negotiations to start on June 19




