Erdogan: Turkey will not back away from US sanctions

World

Ankara: Saeed Abdel Razek

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed in his first comment the American threats to impose sanctions on his country if he did not immediately release the American pastor Andrew Brunson, under house arrest for terrorism and espionage that the position of Turkey would not change.
Erdogan said in his first comment on the threat of US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to impose tough sanctions on Turkey unless the release of the priest detained, no one can force Turkey to Everything, especially in the application of economic sanctions on Erdogan's comments on the pressure on his country in the case of the pastor and his refusal to join the new US sanctions regime on Tehran, which will be applied in November.
Erdogan, in statements to reporters accompanying him on a tour The Turkish media reported on African countries, including South Africa and Zambia, not to mention the fact that there was no one in the country. Brunson's exchange with Turkish citizenship, which was held by Israel, and which was conditionally released. The Washington Post on Friday released a report on a supposed deal between Ankara and Washington to release Ozkan in exchange for Brunson's release. Ozkan, 27, was jailed for more than a month in Israel for transferring hundreds of dollars to a terrorist organization (referring to Hamas), but returned to Turkey on July 16. The newspaper said the deal was made "personally" by Trump, but collapsed when Brunson was placed under house arrest on Wednesday.
Erdogan responded to the newspaper, noting that Turkey "has never made an exchange card". Help Washington to ensure the return of Ozkan. The Turkish President: "No transfer in exchange for this, we will give you Brunson.Nothing like this has been discussed." Erdogan added that "the friendship between the United States and Turkey is At stake in this conflict, and the decision of Turkey (on the pastor) is irreversible.We will not take a step back when we will face sanctions.They should not forget that they will lose a sincere partner. These positions are nothing more than a psychological war. "
In the same context, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had telephone conversations with his Turkish counterpart Mouloud Gawishoglu last night on Brunson. In a statement, the State Department said the two ministers affirmed their commitment to continue discussions to solve the problem and deal with other issues. The spokesman for Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin yesterday tried to ease tensions between the two countries, saying the United States had taken measures in recent years to weaken the strategic partnership with Turkey and that the Trump administration maintained its relations with the Workers Party of Kurdistan. After the administration of the former President Barack Obama has promised that the relationship is temporary and tactical
He criticized the reluctance of the Trump administration to take concrete steps to investigate the alleged role of the movement of the Turkish preacher Fathullah Gulen residing in the United States "President Trump may have good intentions about relations with President Erdogan and Turkey, and it will certainly be the same if the relationship is based on mutual respect and Common interest. "
Turkey placed the American pastor Andrew Brunson where he was detained for 21 months in a prison in Izmir (west) where Ankara accused him of helping Gulen (the service movement) in a Abortive coup attempt and support the PKK and political or military espionage.
Up to 35 years in prison is convicted. The charges against him were rejected and US officials emphasized his innocence. Erdogan said last September that Turkey could release Brunson if the United States handed him preacher Gulen, which was rejected by Washington.
In the same case, Erdogan ordered that his country move to international arbitration if it was not provided by the United States. F-35 combat jets. "Now they are threatening us with something, and what was it? They will not be able to give F-35, if you do not give us, there is something like international arbitration, we will go to international arbitration, if there are alternatives. "
" In my opinion, it is a psychological warfare, with sanctions, we have not traded on the l & # 39; Brunson case. "In the same vein, Dullet Behesley, chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party, partner of the Justice and Development Party within the People's Alliance, said the president American should consider making the Gulen. Who welcomes them to his country in Turkey instead of his concerns with Reverend Andrew Brunson. "If the trial of independent Turkish independence, accused of espionage, jeopardizes US-Turkish relations and creates a crisis between the two countries, it is futile to talk about it," he said. Mr. Beshli on Twitter. The United States threatens Turkey with "provocation of missionaries", saying "this is a flaw and a violation of ethics, casts a shadow over the strategic partnership between the two countries, and transcends borders." will not bow to threats forever … History has not recorded Turkey's submission to the threats. "" If the United States agrees to extradite the (traitor) Fethullah Gulen who is in Pennsylvania in Turkey, in exchange for the priest who wants to release him, "he said," there was trade between the parties during the Cold War, criminals, agents and traitors were exchanged. "
Gulen has been in the United States since 1999 and demands that Turkey be extradited to be brought to justice for allegedly implicating his service movement in the attempted coup d'état in Turkey in mid-July 2016. [19659006] Turkey

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