US, Turkey Mutually Suspend Visa Services in Escalating Row
Diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of a Turkish staffer at the American mission in Istanbul. The employee was remanded in custody on accusations of links to the group of US-based preacher Gulen, blamed by Ankara for last year's failed coup. Ties between Putin and Erdogan are getting stronger.
Ankara (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The United States and Turkey on Sunday scaled back visa issuing services in each other's countries in a deepening diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of a Turkish staffer at the American mission in Istanbul.
The American embassy in Ankara said that "recent events" forced the US government to reassess Turkey's "commitment" to the security of US mission services and personnel in the country.
In order to minimise the number of visitors while the assessment is carried out, "effective immediately we have suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all US diplomatic facilities in Turkey," it said.
Non-immigrant visas are issued to all those travelling to the United States for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study. Immigrant visa services are only for those seeking to live in the US permanently.
Turkey responded by suspending "all visa services" for Americans in the US, saying the measures also apply to visas issued online and at the border.
In an apparent attempt to mock the US announcement, the Turkish embassy in Washington issued two statements that were almost word-for-word copies of that from the American embassy in Ankara.
Beyond its mention of "recent events", the American embassy statement made no explicit mention of the arrest by Turkish authorities of a local Turkish staffer working at the US consulate in Istanbul.
The employee was remanded in custody by an Istanbul court late Wednesday on accusations of links to the group of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for last year's failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Analysts and experts point to an ever-stronger bond between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin behind the controversy that is pitting Ankara and Washington against each other. This is confirmed by the recent billion-dollar deal for the sale of the Russian S-400 to Turkey, which has irritated - and not least - the NATO allies.
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