ISTANBUL • US President Donald Trump said he would give Turkey no
concessions in return for the release of a detained American pastor, the
latest salvo in a worsening rift between the Nato allies.
Mr Trump on Monday criticised Ankara over the detention of evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, and said he was not concerned that his tough stance against Turkey could end up hurting European and emerging market economies.
Mr Brunson, who is originally from North Carolina and has lived in Turkey for two decades, has been detained for 21 months on terrorism charges, which he denies. The pastor has become an unwitting flashpoint for the diplomatic tension, which has accelerated a crisis in the lira. The currency has already lost 40 per cent of its value against the US dollar this year.
Mr Trump said that after he helped persuade Israel to free another
detained Turkish citizen, he thought Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan would then release Mr Brunson, who is accused by Turkey of being
involved in a plot against Mr Erdogan two years ago. "I think they're
making a terrible mistake. There will be no concessions," Mr Trump told
Reuters.
Turkish government officials did not comment on Mr Trump's remarks when they spoke after prayers to mark the start of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival. But Mr Devlet Bahceli, leader of a nationalist party allied with Mr Erdogan's AK Party, told reporters: "We have no business with those who love Brunson more than us."
Mr Erdogan made no public statement yesterday. He has repeatedly cast the currency crisis as an attack on Turkey but has stopped short of singling out any one country.
On Monday, the Turkish leader appealed to Turks' religious and
patriotic feelings ahead of the festival, promising they would not be
brought "to their knees" by the economic crisis.
REUTERS
Mr Trump on Monday criticised Ankara over the detention of evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, and said he was not concerned that his tough stance against Turkey could end up hurting European and emerging market economies.
Mr Brunson, who is originally from North Carolina and has lived in Turkey for two decades, has been detained for 21 months on terrorism charges, which he denies. The pastor has become an unwitting flashpoint for the diplomatic tension, which has accelerated a crisis in the lira. The currency has already lost 40 per cent of its value against the US dollar this year.
Turkish government officials did not comment on Mr Trump's remarks when they spoke after prayers to mark the start of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival. But Mr Devlet Bahceli, leader of a nationalist party allied with Mr Erdogan's AK Party, told reporters: "We have no business with those who love Brunson more than us."
Mr Erdogan made no public statement yesterday. He has repeatedly cast the currency crisis as an attack on Turkey but has stopped short of singling out any one country.
REUTERS
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