Turkey calls threatening language by US 'unacceptable'

Turkey’s national security establishment on Monday blasted recent threatening language by US towards Turkey as out of bounds and disrespectful.

Relations between the countries soured after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey over detained American pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who was arrested in the Aegean province of Izmir in December 2016.



In a statement, the National Security Council said that the threatening language that the US used towards Turkey shows disrespect for relations between two countries and is “unacceptable.”



Brunson was charged with committing crimes, including spying for the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup attempt of July 2016.



The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by both the US and Turkey.

Turkish prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for Brunson for committing crimes on behalf of terrorist groups without being a member, with up to 20 years for political or military espionage.

TRT World's Lionel Donovan reports.

The statement comes after Turkey's National Security Council convened under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the first time since Turkey’s presidential system came into effect.

Tensions on defence industry

The Council also condemned the recent US stance on defence industry projects for which "Turkey fulfils every kind of responsibilities," saying this stance would irreparably harm the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The US Congress recently passed legislation threatening to halt US sales of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, despite signed contracts between the countries.

President Erdogan previously said Turkey would resort to international arbitration if the US blocked the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.

The Council also said the country’s fight against terrorist groups including FETO, the PKK/PYD-YPG, and Daesh would continue with the same determination in the new era.

Syria crisis

Stressing that the deal with the US over Manbij would help resolve the Syria issue, the Council said that measures to accelerate locals returning home were also reviewed.

Concrete steps will be taken to secure places in Syria where terror groups are now active, it added.

The Manbij deal between Turkey and the US focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the city in order to stabilise the region.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives. The YPG is its Syrian branch.