us turkey put end to visa spat
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

US, Turkey put end to visa spat

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today US, Turkey put end to visa spat

The US consulate in Istanbul.
Washington - Arab Today

The United States and Turkey on Thursday turned the page on a visa crisis triggered nearly three months ago by the arrest of a staff member at the American mission in Ankara, but relations between the NATO allies remain tense.

The two sides announced the resumption of full visa services for each other's citizens, but their statements revealed lingering misgivings between the countries, who are partners in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.
 

Washington said it had won assurances from Ankara that no further legal proceedings would be launched against its staff, though the Turkish embassy in the US capital insisted "no such assurances have been given."

Nevertheless, the State Department said it was "confident that the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the full resumption of visa services in Turkey."

The US move is effective immediately, a department official told AFP.

Shortly thereafter, the Turkish mission in Washington said: "Within the framework of the principle of reciprocity, the restrictions placed from our side on the visa regime for US citizens are being lifted simultaneously."

The US decision to stop handing out visas was implemented from October 8 and was followed by a tit-for-tat move by Turkey to stop giving visas to Americans.

The crisis was triggered when US consulate staffer Metin Topuz was formally charged with espionage and seeking to overthrow the Turkish government -- accusations the US embassy in Ankara has said are "wholly without merit."

Topuz, a Turkish citizen, is accused of links to a group led by Pennsylvania-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara suspects of ordering last year's failed coup in Turkey.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, denies any involvement in the attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In November, the US said it had resumed limited visa services, a move matched by Turkey's missions in the US.

But the services were so limited that the first interview appointments for Turks seeking most types of US visas were only available from January 2019, causing uproar on social media.

- 'Serious concerns' -

Washington says it is now confident that there are "no additional local employees of our mission in Turkey under investigation" and that "local staff of our embassy and consulates will not be detained or arrested for performing their official duties," a State Department official said.

Turkish authorities will also inform the US "in advance" if they intend to arrest any local staff member in the future.

But US authorities added: "We continue to have serious concerns about the existing allegations against arrested local employees of our mission in Turkey."

Reflecting the language of the American statement, Ankara said it continued to have "serious concerns" regarding cases involving Turkish citizens in the United States.

In March, a Turkish employee at the US consulate in the southern city of Adana was arrested on charges of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

And US authorities also expressed concern about other US citizens arrested in Turkey under a state of emergency declared in the wake of the July 2016 coup attempt.

American pastor Andrew Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, has been held by Turkish authorities since October 2016 on charges of being a member of Gulen's group.

"US officials will continue to engage with their Turkish counterparts to seek a satisfactory resolution of these cases," the State Department official said.

- Strained ties -

Turkey is a key player in the anti-IS fight, and the US relies heavily on the airbase at Incirlik in the country's south to launch air strikes against the militants in neighboring Iraq and Syria.

But relations between the NATO allies have frayed over American support for Syrian Kurdish militia seen by Turkey as "terrorists" and the US failure to extradite Gulen.

Ties also hit a stumbling block over the arrest and trial of Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who stands accused of violating sanctions against Iran, bribery and money laundering.

His co-defendant turned government witness Reza Zarrab implicated former Turkish ministers and even Erdogan in the scheme.

Turkey's president -- who had hoped to build better ties with US President Donald Trump -- also bristled at the American leader's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The State Department nevertheless underlined Washington's partnership with Ankara in explaining the restoration of visa services.

"Turkey is a longstanding NATO ally and a critical defense partner," the official told AFP.

"We work together closely to confront the serious challenges that face both of our nations."

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

us turkey put end to visa spat us turkey put end to visa spat

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

us turkey put end to visa spat us turkey put end to visa spat

 



GMT 13:49 2017 Thursday ,08 June

Boko Haram kills 11 in NE Nigeria attacks: police

GMT 09:08 2017 Monday ,11 September

Palestinian court grants bail to prominent activist

GMT 00:06 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Emirates signs agreement for 36 additional A380s

GMT 09:59 2018 Wednesday ,10 January

Pakistan reiterates solidarity with Saudi Arabia

GMT 23:01 2016 Wednesday ,30 November

21 killed in artillery shelling of eastern Aleppo

GMT 09:22 2016 Monday ,10 October

US troops in Kuwait came under 'suicide' attack

GMT 21:14 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Tatas will lead, not follow

GMT 11:24 2017 Wednesday ,15 February

ISIS kidnapped 16 civilians from Anbar

GMT 19:30 2018 Wednesday ,31 October

King congratulates Antigua and Barbuda Governor-General

GMT 00:05 2017 Thursday ,28 December

Guterres extends mandate of UN-backed Lebanon tribunal

GMT 01:49 2017 Wednesday ,18 October

Iran considered dropping Turkey to fight the Russian

GMT 00:02 2017 Friday ,01 September

July24th-August23rd
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday