US lifts visa restrictions in Turkey, Ankara denies assurances

ISTANBUL, Turkey (Kurdistan 24) - The United States embassy in Turkey announced a full resumption of non-immigrant visa services to Turkish citizens on Thursday, saying the Ankara government has given "assurances" over the security of its diplomatic staff.

"The Government of Turkey has adhered to the high-level assurances it provided to the US that there are no additional local employees of our Mission in Turkey under investigation, that local staff of our Embassy and consulates will not be detained or arrested for performing their official duties," a statement on the US Ankara embassy said.

It added that the Turkish authorities would inform Washington in advance if they intended to detain or arrest any member of local US staff in the future.

The visa crisis between the two NATO allies began in October when the American embassy said “recent events forced” the Donald Trump administration to reassess the commitment of the Turkish government to the security of the US facilities and personnel.

Turkey has this year arrested two US consular employees, both Turkish citizens, alleging ties with Pennsylvania-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen whom President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for last year’s military coup attempt against his rule.

However, Turkish mission in Washington denied any assurances.

"We would like to emphasize that Turkey is a state of law and that our government has not provided any assurances concerning the ongoing judicial processes. It is inappropriate to misinform Turkish and American public that such assurances were provided," a press release read.

It also said that Turkey had "very serious concerns" about the ongoing cases against Turkish citizens in the United States.

The statement was hinting at the investigation of and arrest warrants for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 12 security guards and four others for their role in an attack on peaceful Kurdish protestors in May during an official visit to Washington.

Ankara accuses one of the US consular workers it arrested in October of “espionage and attempts to damage the constitutional order and Turkey’s government.”

The US condemned the arrest saying it was “deeply disturbed,” dismissing the allegations as “wholly without merit.”

Erdogan has repeatedly demanded from Washington to extradite Gulen and even suggested a prisoner swap for the US to secure the freedom of the American pastor Andrew Brunson, held in Turkey for a year without a trial.

Tensions between the two governments have already been steadily increasing since 2014 over Washington’s support for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) battling the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Earlier in February, police detained translator Hamza Ulucay of the US consulate in Adana, over alleged membership in the Gulen movement and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group leading a Kurdish rebellion against the Turkish state.

The assault on peaceful Kurdish-American protestors by Erdogan’s security detail in Washington worsened the relations between the two sides, as DC authorities continue to seek the arrest of 12 of the Turkish President’s bodyguards.

Editing by Sam A.