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TURKEY-US TENSION TAKES ENVOY TO FOREIGN MINISTRY
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-us-tension-takes-envoy-to-foreign-ministry.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40664&NewsCatID=338
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Francis Ricciardone. AA photo
Serkan DemirtaĆ[email protected]
Already split on many key foreign policy issues, Turkey and the United
States have found themselves embroiled in new tension after the U.S.
envoy received a dressing down from Turkish officials yesterday in
the wake of critical comments from the ambassador.
The criticisms directed toward Ambassador Francis Ricciardone came in
the wake of senior American officials' reactions to Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements on Israel, as well as their
criticisms on the undemocratic nature of the Turkish judicial system.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu expressed Ankara's
discomfort with the recent events in an unprecedentedly long meeting
with Ricciardone that lasted for two hours and 15 minutes.
Although the meeting took place upon the request of the U.S. embassy
to thank Turkish officials over their efforts in the aftermath of last
week's suicide bombing at the embassy, Ricciardone's recent statements
and other top issues regarding cooperation against terrorism were
brought to the agenda, according to sources.
"We have conveyed our unease with his statements. This is unacceptable,
we told him. And we also expressed that this should not happen again,"
a diplomatic source said after the meeting.
The two men discussed issues raised in Ricciardone's meeting with
journalists on Feb. 6, a U.S. Embassy official told the Hurriyet Daily
News. "The undersecretary made clear his government's disappointment
at what he saw as interference in Turkey's domestic affairs. The
ambassador respectfully pointed out the importance to Turkey's friends
and allies of Turkey's steady progress in strengthening the rule of
law and protections of human rights, and urged a careful reading of
the full text of the Feb. 5 conversation, which is available on the
U.S. Embassy website."
In the meantime, there were reports that Ricciardone sent a letter
to Huseyin Celik, number two of the Justice and Development Party
(AKP), expressing an apology of what he said. But the U.S. embassy
official denied this report, saying, "The ambassador did not provide
an apology letter."
During a recent meeting with Ankara media bureau chiefs, Ricciardone
had criticized the arrests of military officers, non-violent protesters
and professors on unclear charges. "You have your military leaders,
who were entrusted with the protection of this country, behind bars as
if they were terrorists," he said, referring to hundreds of military
officers behind bars as part of the ongoing "Balyoz" (Sledgehammer)
and other court cases.
"When a legal system produces such results and confuses people like
that for terrorists, it makes it hard for American and European courts
to match up. We are working to reconcile our legal processes in both
countries," he said.
The strongest public reactions came from Deputy Prime Minister Bekir
Bozdag, who advised Ricciardone to cease interfering in Turkey's
domestic issues. "It would be better and useful for his country if
Ricciardone minded his own business. Those are statements that do
not bode well for his assignment in Turkey," Bozdag said.
Deputy Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Huseyin Celik
also slammed Ricciardone yesterday and the day before, hinting that
a warning would be issued to the American envoy at his meeting in
the Foreign Ministry. "We are inviting Ricciardone to remain within
his boundaries and limits. We are not pleased with [his remarks];
we condemn and denounce them. He should know his place," said Celik
in televised comments on the private broadcaster Kanal A late Feb. 6.
Celik: Turkey and US don't agree on Israel
Meanwhile, Celik also noted the remarks of U.S. State Department
Spokesperson Victoria Nuland, who said earlier this week that the
"inflammatory comments" by Turkey's premier and Foreign Minister
Davutoglu concerning an Israeli airstrike against Syria were "very
troubling" to the U.S. It is known that Turkey and U.S. do not fully
agree when the issue is Israel, Celik said. He, however, noted that
the U.S. was a friendly country and that the two allies did not have
to agree on every issue. Those disagreements do not cast a shadow
over the spirit of alliance either, he said.
According to the U.S. Embassy official, Ricciardone and Sinirlioglu
discussed the full range of issues of mutual interest since their last
meeting on the day of the terrorist attack on Feb. 1. "The principal
question was how to step up bilateral and multilateral cooperation
against all terrorist enemies of our two countries, not only DHKP-C but
also PKK and al-Qaeda. They discussed prospective high-level visits,
Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel," the official said.
February/07/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-us-tension-takes-envoy-to-foreign-ministry.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40664&NewsCatID=338
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Francis Ricciardone. AA photo
Serkan DemirtaĆ[email protected]
Already split on many key foreign policy issues, Turkey and the United
States have found themselves embroiled in new tension after the U.S.
envoy received a dressing down from Turkish officials yesterday in
the wake of critical comments from the ambassador.
The criticisms directed toward Ambassador Francis Ricciardone came in
the wake of senior American officials' reactions to Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements on Israel, as well as their
criticisms on the undemocratic nature of the Turkish judicial system.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu expressed Ankara's
discomfort with the recent events in an unprecedentedly long meeting
with Ricciardone that lasted for two hours and 15 minutes.
Although the meeting took place upon the request of the U.S. embassy
to thank Turkish officials over their efforts in the aftermath of last
week's suicide bombing at the embassy, Ricciardone's recent statements
and other top issues regarding cooperation against terrorism were
brought to the agenda, according to sources.
"We have conveyed our unease with his statements. This is unacceptable,
we told him. And we also expressed that this should not happen again,"
a diplomatic source said after the meeting.
The two men discussed issues raised in Ricciardone's meeting with
journalists on Feb. 6, a U.S. Embassy official told the Hurriyet Daily
News. "The undersecretary made clear his government's disappointment
at what he saw as interference in Turkey's domestic affairs. The
ambassador respectfully pointed out the importance to Turkey's friends
and allies of Turkey's steady progress in strengthening the rule of
law and protections of human rights, and urged a careful reading of
the full text of the Feb. 5 conversation, which is available on the
U.S. Embassy website."
In the meantime, there were reports that Ricciardone sent a letter
to Huseyin Celik, number two of the Justice and Development Party
(AKP), expressing an apology of what he said. But the U.S. embassy
official denied this report, saying, "The ambassador did not provide
an apology letter."
During a recent meeting with Ankara media bureau chiefs, Ricciardone
had criticized the arrests of military officers, non-violent protesters
and professors on unclear charges. "You have your military leaders,
who were entrusted with the protection of this country, behind bars as
if they were terrorists," he said, referring to hundreds of military
officers behind bars as part of the ongoing "Balyoz" (Sledgehammer)
and other court cases.
"When a legal system produces such results and confuses people like
that for terrorists, it makes it hard for American and European courts
to match up. We are working to reconcile our legal processes in both
countries," he said.
The strongest public reactions came from Deputy Prime Minister Bekir
Bozdag, who advised Ricciardone to cease interfering in Turkey's
domestic issues. "It would be better and useful for his country if
Ricciardone minded his own business. Those are statements that do
not bode well for his assignment in Turkey," Bozdag said.
Deputy Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Huseyin Celik
also slammed Ricciardone yesterday and the day before, hinting that
a warning would be issued to the American envoy at his meeting in
the Foreign Ministry. "We are inviting Ricciardone to remain within
his boundaries and limits. We are not pleased with [his remarks];
we condemn and denounce them. He should know his place," said Celik
in televised comments on the private broadcaster Kanal A late Feb. 6.
Celik: Turkey and US don't agree on Israel
Meanwhile, Celik also noted the remarks of U.S. State Department
Spokesperson Victoria Nuland, who said earlier this week that the
"inflammatory comments" by Turkey's premier and Foreign Minister
Davutoglu concerning an Israeli airstrike against Syria were "very
troubling" to the U.S. It is known that Turkey and U.S. do not fully
agree when the issue is Israel, Celik said. He, however, noted that
the U.S. was a friendly country and that the two allies did not have
to agree on every issue. Those disagreements do not cast a shadow
over the spirit of alliance either, he said.
According to the U.S. Embassy official, Ricciardone and Sinirlioglu
discussed the full range of issues of mutual interest since their last
meeting on the day of the terrorist attack on Feb. 1. "The principal
question was how to step up bilateral and multilateral cooperation
against all terrorist enemies of our two countries, not only DHKP-C but
also PKK and al-Qaeda. They discussed prospective high-level visits,
Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel," the official said.
February/07/2013