Turkey will not bow down to threats, Çavuşoğlu tells US counterpart Pompeo
ANKARA
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Ankara “will not bow down” to threats, a ministry source said.
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on July 26 to warn Ankara about “large sanctions” over the arrest of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor being tried on terrorism and spying charges.
Çavuşoğlu called Pompeo the same day to convey Turkey’s response to the strong statements from the U.S. administration.
According to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source, Çavuşoğlu told Pompeo that Turkey “will not bow down to anyone’s threats”, while noting that “the rule of law applies to everyone without exception.”
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.
Vice President Mike Pence also said on July 26 “the United States of America will impose significant sanctions on Turkey” if Brunson is not freed.
Turkey denies Turkish citizen jailed in Israel was traded for US pastor Brunson’s release
