Turkey-US Relations: Ankara to retaliate after Washington levies sanctions over detention

World
Europe

02:50

Turkey is vowing to retaliate after the United States imposed sanctions on two Turkish ministers. The punishment was levied after Ankara refused to release an American pastor charged with spying and terrorism. They say the sanctions are jeopardizing the long-standing ties between the two NATO allies. CGTN's Michal Bardavid has more.

On Wednesday the US announced it was imposing financial sanctions on Turkey's Justice and Interior Ministers. The sanctions are being issued under the Global Magnitsky Act of 2016, which allows the U.S. government to sanction foreign government officials implicated in human rights abuses.

The trigger for the sanctions was Turkey's refusal to release American pastor Andrew Brunson who was sent to prison in July 2016, and transferred to house arrest last week due to health reasons. Brunson is being charged with having links to the Fethullah Gulen organization which Ankara says is behind the failed coup of 2016. Brunson denies all charges.

Washington claims there is no evidence against Brunson, and US President Donald Trump has called him an "innocent man of faith".

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it will retaliate immediately. "We call on the US administration to go back on this wrong decision. An equivalent response to this aggressive attitude will be given without delay."

MICHAL BARDAVID ISTANBUL "Four Turkish political parties also have issued a joint statement supporting the presidency, saying it had the right to give the necessary response to the U.S. based on the principle of international reciprocity."

The two Turkish ministers both announced they had no properties or assets in the US.

Analysts stress that trust between the two NATO allies has been broken.

OGUZ DEMIR POLITICAL ANALYST "The Turkish society and government are clearly experiencing insecurity towards the US, this was deepened during the visa crisis and now the current crisis takes it even further downhill, even though there is still a way out - mending ties will take time."

Following the news - the Turkish Lira also took a hit, reaching a record low against the US dollar.

OGUZ DEMIR POLITICAL ANALYST "From our experience during the Russia crisis we already know that increasing interest rates, or increasing foreign currency in the market will be of no use and will not impact the economy, so the only thing to do is to wait for the process to cool down and wait for the effects to disappear following diplomatic efforts."

Meanwhile, on Wednesday the US Senate approved a bill to delay the delivery of F-35 jets to Turkey until a report is filed by the Pentagon. If US President Donald Trump approves the bill - it could certainly increase tension between Ankara and Washington. Michal Bardavid, CGTN, Istanbul.