US Wrong to Threaten Turkey: Erdogan
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan Saturday said it was wrong of the United States to try to bring Turkey into line with threats, a day after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on metal imports from Turkey as the row between the two Nato allies deepened.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan Saturday said it was wrong of the United States to try to bring Turkey into line with threats, a day after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on metal imports from Turkey as the row between the two Nato allies deepened.
“You can never bring this nation in line with the language of threats,” Mr Erdogan told supporters in the Turkish town of Unye on the Black Sea coast. “I am once again calling on those in America: It is a pity that you choose a pastor over your strategic partner in Nato,” he said.
Washington sanctioned two Turkish ministers and Mr Trump last Friday announced it was doubling the tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Turkey, saying relations with Ankara were “not good at this time”.
Mr Erdogan also repeated a call to Turks to help support the lira to win what he described was a “war of independence”.
The two governments have been at odds over a wide range of topics – from diverging interests in Syria, to Turkey’s ambition to buy Russian defence systems, and the case of evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson, who is on trial in Turkey on terrorism charges.
