ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — John Bolton, US national security adviser, said that if Turkey wants its lira-battering crisis to come to an end then it has to release US pastor Andrew Brunson “instantly,” otherwise, even the recent influx of cash from Qatar will not save their economy.
Turkish-US diplomatic and economic relations have been harmed following the house arrest of American pastor Andrew Brunson by Turkish judiciary for alleged connections with the failed 2016 coup and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). US officials expected Brunson to be released in July, going so far as to fly in his wife.
However, they have not cut their military cooperation around Manbij, northern Syria, where they conduct “joint but separate patrols.” Last week US Defense Secretary James Mattis said the US military had trainers in Turkey so they could conduct joint patrols.
Additionally, Washington has not denied tipping Ankara off about the whereabouts of PKK leader Zaki Shingali who was killed during a Turkish attack in Shingal province.
Regarding the US position on the membership of Turkey in NATO, Bolton said “That’s not an issue at the moment. We’re focused on Pastor Brunson and the other Americans that the Turkish government’s holding illegitimately and we expect that to get resolved.”
Recent US sanctions and in tariffs have made Turkish lira lose its value against the US dollar. Turkey has imposed retaliatory tariffs. Turkey blames US for trying to weaken its economy, but US officials have said that their issue is merely with the jailing of their citizens in Turkey.
Amid the spat, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani paid a critical visit to Turkey, pledging “a host of economic projects, investments and deposits” worth $15 billion to support Turkey’s economy.
“Well, I think what they pledged is utterly insufficient to have an impact on Turkey’s economy. It’s certainly not helpful but we’ll actually see what develops from their pledge,” said Bolton.
Turkey maintains the kerfuffle over Brunson is a judicial matter.
On Tuesday, a Turkish prosecutor gave Brunson permission to use a treadmill at his house in the western province of Ismir for health purposes, Turkey’s Demiroren News Agency reported.
The agency added that they have increased security measures to protect Christian pastor Brunson’s residence during Eid al-Adha.
“Look, the Turkish government made a big mistake in not releasing Pastor Brunson … Every day that goes by that mistake continues, this crisis could be over instantly if they did the right thing as a NATO ally, part of the West, and release pastor Brunson without condition,” he commented to Reuters on Tuesday.
Turkish-US diplomatic and economic relations have been harmed following the house arrest of American pastor Andrew Brunson by Turkish judiciary for alleged connections with the failed 2016 coup and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). US officials expected Brunson to be released in July, going so far as to fly in his wife.
However, they have not cut their military cooperation around Manbij, northern Syria, where they conduct “joint but separate patrols.” Last week US Defense Secretary James Mattis said the US military had trainers in Turkey so they could conduct joint patrols.
Additionally, Washington has not denied tipping Ankara off about the whereabouts of PKK leader Zaki Shingali who was killed during a Turkish attack in Shingal province.
Regarding the US position on the membership of Turkey in NATO, Bolton said “That’s not an issue at the moment. We’re focused on Pastor Brunson and the other Americans that the Turkish government’s holding illegitimately and we expect that to get resolved.”
Recent US sanctions and in tariffs have made Turkish lira lose its value against the US dollar. Turkey has imposed retaliatory tariffs. Turkey blames US for trying to weaken its economy, but US officials have said that their issue is merely with the jailing of their citizens in Turkey.
Amid the spat, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani paid a critical visit to Turkey, pledging “a host of economic projects, investments and deposits” worth $15 billion to support Turkey’s economy.
“Well, I think what they pledged is utterly insufficient to have an impact on Turkey’s economy. It’s certainly not helpful but we’ll actually see what develops from their pledge,” said Bolton.
Turkey maintains the kerfuffle over Brunson is a judicial matter.
On Tuesday, a Turkish prosecutor gave Brunson permission to use a treadmill at his house in the western province of Ismir for health purposes, Turkey’s Demiroren News Agency reported.
The agency added that they have increased security measures to protect Christian pastor Brunson’s residence during Eid al-Adha.
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