Turkish and US ministers have third phone talk since July 26

ANKARA

Amid high-running tensions between Ankara and Washington over the arrest of U.S Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held another phone conversation on Aug. 1.

This is the third conversation held between Çavuşoğlu and Pompeo on the matter since President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if Brunson is not released.

Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which Ankara blames for the failed coup in 2016. He was moved from prison to house arrest on July 25.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on July 26 to warn Ankara about “large sanctions” over the arrest of Brunson.

Çavuşoğlu called Pompeo the same day to convey Turkey’s response to the strong statements from the U.S. administration.