Erdogan refuses to bow to the threat of sanctions from America

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed not to force his country to threaten his US counterpart Donald Trump with sanctions against Ankara if he did not launch an American priest for terrorism

Pastor Andrew Branson has been imprisoned for 21 months. He faces a 35-year prison sentence when he renounces the activities of the PKK and the opposition group Fathullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed coup d'état attempt. Turkey in 2016.

Hours after Ankara Trump threatens to "severe penalties" The Rev. "Immediately", the State Department announced that the Minister Mr. AIP Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart Mouloud Gawishoglu discussed the Branson file on Saturday, which Erdogan hinted in September that his country could release it if the United States delivered Gulen, which was rejected by Washington

. A report on an agreement signed by Ankara and Washington to launch Branson in exchange for the release of the Turkish Ibarro Ozkan, jailed for more than a month in Israel, accused of transferring hundreds of dollars to a "terrorist", but returned in his country two weeks ago. When Branson was under house arrest, but Erdogan denied this report, pointing out that Turkey "has not made Pastor Branson ever exchange paper". However, Ankara requested Washington's help to ensure the return of the "innocent" Ozkan, adding, "I did not say: in exchange, we will give you Branson. He did not discuss anything similar. "

He went on to say to the Americans:" You can not roll back Turkey, imposing sanctions. "The United States must not forget that they can lose a strong and sincere partner, like Turkey, if it does not change position.To turn Trump's problem situation, not my problem. "He describes the US threats as a" war " Psychological "led by Washington against Ankara

The sanctions that Trump threatened to impose were not clear, but the United States drafted laws on Turkey, related to other important issues. The US Senate has asked Ankara to suspend the sale of advanced F-35 fighters if the president does not provide There is no evidence that Turkey will not pose a threat to NATO and will not buy Russian defense materiel (S-400). Americans. A Senate committee passed a bill imposing restrictions on loans requested by Turkey from international financial institutions.

Erdogan commented by waving "the recourse to international arbitration if Washington did not deliver Ankara" F-35. "If we come to this point, there will be other alternatives."