US President Donald Trump said the release and return of Andrew Brunson will be a “tremendous” step toward better relations between the United States and Turkey, where the Christian pastor was detained for two years.
Relations between the two NATO allies have been strained by US support for Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, Turkey’s plans to buy a Russian missile defense system, and the US jailing of an executive at a Turkish state bank in an Iran sanctions-busting case.
Brunson, who met with Trump in the Oval Office soon after he arrived in Washington with his wife on Saturday, knelt next to the president in the Oval Office and said a prayer for him.
President Trump also thanked Turkey on Saturday for freeing Brunson, but he denied cutting a deal with Ankara. “I don’t make deals for hostages. There was, however, great appreciation on behalf of the United States, which will lead to good, perhaps great, relations between the United States & Turkey!” Trump wrote in a tweet.
Trump specifically thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “for his help”, drawing a curt response from the Turkish leader, who has repeatedly said it was a court’s decision to make, not his.
“Dear Mr. President, as I always pointed out, the Turkish judiciary reached its decision independently,” Erdoğan wrote on his Twitter account. “I hope that the United States and Turkey will continue their cooperation as the allies that they are, and fight together against terrorist groups.” Erdoğan remarks came in response to Trump thanking him on Twitter for Brunson’s release.
The dispute over Brunson brought new tension to the relationship. Trump authorized a doubling of duties on aluminum and steel imported from Turkey in August, and Turkey retaliated by increasing tariffs on US cars, alcohol and tobacco imports.
Turkey is in a financial crisis and its lira currency has plunged against the dollar this year on concerns over Erdoğan’s grip on monetary policy and the diplomatic dispute between Ankara and Washington.
Brunson, who lived in Turkey for more than 20 years, was accused of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and supporters of the Gülen movement. Brunson denied the accusations against him and Washington had demanded his immediate release.
In his tweet urging joint action against the PKK and the alleged members of the Gülen movement, Erdoğan has demanded the United States extradite Turkish-Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen to face charges in Turkey.
Even as US officials celebrated Brunson’s freedom, they called on Turkey to also release a Turkish-US national and former NASA scientist in jail on terrorism charges, as well as three local employees of the US consulate who have also been detained.
The post US President Trump hails freeing of Brunson as step in Turkish-American ties appeared first on Stockholm Center for Freedom.
from Stockholm Center for Freedom https://stockholmcf.org/us-president-trump-hails-freeing-of-brunson-as-step-in-turkish-american-ties/
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder