US should respect Turkey's judicial independence, Erdogan spokesman says (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Wednesday that remarks by the US national security adviser regarding Turkey's economic situation were proof that the US administration is targeting a NATO ally as part of an economic war.
In a written statement responding to an interview that John Bolton gave to Reuters, Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the US administration's most recent policies were at odds with the fundamental principles and values of the NATO alliance.
There is rule of law in Turkey and the Andrew Brunson case is a legal issue
– Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin
The spokesman slammed what he said was the United States's disregard for Turkey's legal process, adding that Washington had made arbitrary comments and demands in the case of a detained pastor.
Kalin called on the US to respect Turkey's judicial independence, one of Ankara's most pointed responses yet to criticism over its detention of evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson.
"There is rule of law in Turkey and the Andrew Brunson case is a legal issue. There is an ongoing legal process related to this individual," Kalin said in a statement to Reuters.
"It goes without saying that we find unacceptable the disregard of the legal process by the United States, which has been making certain demands."
On Tuesday, John Bolton told Reuters during a visit to Israel that Ankara “made a big mistake in not releasing Pastor (Andrew) 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 (him)… without condition,” Bolton told Reuters.
The US has imposed tariffs on imports of Turkish steel and aluminium, raising concerns of economic damage in Europe.
"I'm not concerned at all. Im not concerned. This is the proper thing to do," US President Donald Trump said on Monday, when asked about the potential damage to other economies.
Last week, a senior Turkish diplomatic source told MEE that Brunson may be released, but Ankara wants "something in return".
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EXCLUSIVE: Turkey ready to release pastor but US offering nothing
During a trip to Washington last week, the source said, the Turks offered to free Brunson in exchange for leniency in two US government probes into the Turkish state lender Halkbank.
The bank is being investigated over alleged Iran sanctions-busting, another source of tension between the two countries.
“We want to see some goodwill about the fate of these investigations. But the Trump administration said that their judiciary was independent and couldnt promise anything,” the source said.
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