The US backs its under-fire ambassador to Turkey
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The US Department of State on Thursday backed its ambassador to Turkey John Bass who has come under harsh criticism from several Turkish ministers over comments on the government seizure of more than two dozen municipalities.
According to a Washington press briefing transcript, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said the Ambassador Bass who is facing a growing backlash "obviously" enjoyed the full confidence of the President Barack Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry.
Last week on Sunday, the US embassy in Turkey voiced concern in an online statement over the seizure of 28 municipalities, 24 of them Kurdish-held, by the Turkish government that appointed trustee instead of elected mayors.
The statement came hours after the US embassy said it "hoped that any appointment of trustees will be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law."
Turkey's government alleges that the administration of the seized municipalities "aided and abetted terrorist organizations" including Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that is fighting a decades-long guerilla war for recognizing Kurdish rights in Turkey.
The timing and wording of the American statement caused an uproar in government circles including the PM, Foreign, Interior, Justice and the EU Affairs Ministers.
A day after, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in response to the US embassy said, "everyone should mind their own business. We are not going to learn the manner in which laws in our country are executed. Turkey does not need to take lessons from others on this issue."
The Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu who ordered and oversaw the seizures described the American remarks as "intervention in Turkey's internal affairs, a provocation and encouragement of terrorism."
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, on the other hand, said that the US ambassador was not "the governor of Turkey" and that he should "do his job in a manly manner."
The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahceli accused Bass of stepping out of line, insulting Turkish sovereignty and being disrespectful adding that Turkey was not "the 53rd state of America."
The US is comprised of 50 states.
Mayor of the Turkish capital of Ankara Melih, pro-government media including A Haber TV, and social media users have called for the declaration of John Bass as the persona non grata.
In response, Toner told D.C. reporters that Bass remained the US ambassador to Turkey, reminding that "any time an ambassador speaks it is on behalf of the US Government."
(Reporting by Ari Khalidi)
Editing by Ava Homa
