US embassy in Ankara stresses friendship with Turkey despite ongoing tensions
ANKARA
The United States embassy in Ankara has emphasized friendship with Turkey despite ongoing tensions.
“The United States continues to be a firm friend and ally of Turkey despite current tensions. Our countries have a vibrant economic relation,” the embassy said in a tweet on Aug. 7.
The embassy also refuted claims reported by a number of media outlets in Turkey suggesting that an “American official” predicted that a U.S. dollar would soon be equal to 7 Turkish Liras.
“This is a fabricated, baseless lie,” the embassy said in another tweet.
It was earlier reported that Turkey and the U.S. reached a preliminary agreement after the crisis over the arrest of pastor Andrew Brunson that lead the U.S. to slap sanctions on Turkey.
Brunson, who led a Protestant church in the Aegean city of İzmir, is at the center of one of the most serious crises in relations between the NATO allies in years.
The pastor was moved to house arrest last month after nearly two years in jail on terror-related charges, but the change only increased tensions.
The U.S. responded to the failure to fully free Brunson by hitting two top Turkish ministers with sanctions, prompting Ankara to announce a similar measure.ized friendship with Turkey despite ongoing tensions.
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