“The attitude change regarding Brunson is Trump’s problem. We are not affiliated with the USA. The US should not forget that it will lose a sincere partner,” Haberturk reported he told journalists on Saturday in South Africa where he attended the BRICS summit.
American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years, is imprisoned on charge of membership in the Gulen movement, espionage, and support for the PKK. He was moved out of jail on Wednesday and put under house arrest.
Washington has demanded Turkey release Brunson, saying he is innocent.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose “large sanctions” on Turkey for their imprisonment of the pastor.
The Washington Post reported that Ankara and Washington had struck a deal that would have seen Brunson released in exchange for Israel releasing a Turkish woman, Ebru Ozkan, who was returned to Turkey on July 16 after a month detention in Israel on charges of passing money to a “terrorist” group.
The deal fell through when Ankara transferred Brunson to house arrest, the Post reported.
Erdogan denied that there were any such negotiations.
Relations between the NATO partners have been over strained matters like US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen to Turkey to face charges of leading the attempted coup of 2016 and Ankara’s objections to US support for Kurdish forces in Syria.
Delivery of F-35 fighter jets – developed through a collaboration of NATO partners, including Turkey – is another problem between them.
US lawmakers are trying to prevent delivery of the jets to Turkey because of concerns over Ankara’s decision to purchase a Russian air defence system.
Erdogan said he would seek international arbitration if the US refuses to hand over the jets.
Turkey took ownership of the first of the jets in a ceremony in June, but won’t actually receive any craft for another two years. Turkish pilots and maintenance staff are currently undergoing training in Arizona.
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