Turkish FM speaks with US counterpart over phone
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the phone, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
The phone contact was made shortly after Turkey responded to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump after he threatened the country with sanctions unless Ankara releases a detained American pastor.
No further details were released.
In an attempt to interfere with NATO-member Turkey’s judiciary, Trump tweeted: “The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their longtime detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson.”
“No one dictates Turkey. We will never tolerate threats from anybody. Rule of law is for everyone; no exception,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu responded in a tweet.
Brunson was transferred to house arrest Wednesday after being detained in the Aegean province of Izmir in December 2016.
He was charged with spying for the PKK — a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey — and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group Turkey accuses of orchestrating the defeated July 2016 coup attempt.
