Turkey says Trump 'threats' of sanctions will prove fruitless

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday slammed what it called unacceptable threats by US President Donald Trump for the case of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor detained by the Ankara government for two years over charges of terrorism and espionage.

“It is not possible to accept the threatening language by the US administration toward our country that is a NATO ally.” Ibrahim Kalin, an Erdogan spokesperson, said.

“The US that has not taken any steps regarding FETO must know it cannot get any results by hurling threats under the pretext of an issue that is under the sole jurisdiction of the Turkish judiciary.”

FETO is a Turkish government designation for the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a self-exiled Turkish Islamic cleric and once-friend of the Erdogan administration whose followers in the army and bureaucracy the latter accuses of mounting a botched coup attempt in the summer of 2016.

Ankara charges the US with providing a haven for Gulen and some of his supporters who had allegedly taken part in the failed coup while demanding their extradition as American officials continue to point to insufficient evidence for the case.

“The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time [sic] detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!" Trump had tweeted earlier the day.

The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2018

Trump’s words a day after Turks released Brunson from a prison to a house where he will continue to be under detention were the strongest yet against the Turkish state by an American President in decades.

Turkish judicial authorities claim Brunson, 50, who they released from prison for house detention, collaborated with Gulenists as well as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which maintains a decades-long insurgency for Kurdish self-rule.

Prosecutors ask for up to 35 years of imprisonment as among the charges against him stands the accusation of “wanting to create a Christian Kurdish state.”

US experts, politicians, and think-tanks have described Brunson’s case as part of a “hostage policy” by Erdogan to chip in concessions from Washington regarding Gulenists and American support for Syrian Kurdistan.

In his written statement, Kalin said Americans “should in no time come back to a constructive ground” before it “further harmed” the ties between the countries.

Earlier in the day, US Vice President Mike Pence reiterated Trump’s remarks.

“Release Pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face the consequences,” Pence said.

There was no reply from Erdogan himself as of the writing of this report.

The Turkish President was in the South African city of Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit where he sat down with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

“Our cooperation makes some really jealous,” Erdogan told Putin according to the state media, without specifying who he was referring.

“But you were going to invite me to a restaurant,” Putin said, to which Erdogan said they were soon to go to a restaurant in Turkey where they can also enjoy Russian meat products.

In the past, the Turkish President has implied Brunson’s freedom by exchanging him with his foe-turned-ally Fethullah Gulen, who he holds responsible for mounting the failed coup and forcefully demands from the US his extradition.

“‘Give us the pastor back,’ they say. You have one pastor as well. Give him [Gulen] to us,” Erdogan said in September 2017. “Then, we will try him [Brunson] and give him to you.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany