Turkey reacts to US in terms of visa suspension (Document)

Just a few hours after the US mission to Turkey announced it was limiting visa services, saying recent events forced it to “re-evaluate” Ankara's commitment to the safety of American facilities and personnel, the Turkish Embassy in Washington, hit almost identical action, reports “Al Jazeera”, Periscopi broadcasts.

Statement from the Turkish Mission to the U.S., October 8, 2017 Pic.twitter. com/40B w IOCj

Turkish Embassy DC (@ Turkish Embassy) October 8, 2017

“To downplay the number of visitors to our Embassy and Consulates, while this assessment continues, we have suspended all non-immigular visa services in all Turkish diplomatic facilities in the US”, the US Embassy statement states.

The first version of the Turkish statement said the move would be applied for <x0vizes on passports”.

But a later version said the move “will be applied to visas, e-vises and border visas”, leaving open the question whether American travellers currently having visas will be allowed to enter Turkey.

Meanwhile, the previous US statement said it suspended visa processing <x0no-emigrent”, a specific category related to tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

The escalation in diplomatic tensions comes days after the arrest of an American consulate employee in Istanbul for alleged links to Fetullah Gyleni, a US-based Muslim leader, blamed by Ankara for a failed coup attempt last year. Julien denies involvement.

Turkey's state news agency Anadolu identified the consulate's employee as Mattin Topuz, a Turkish male citizen.

He said he was arrested late Wednesday on charges of spying and attempts to undermine the constitutional order and the Turkish government.

Missionary Andree Brunson, who led a church in the western city of Izmir, has been held by Turkish authorities since October 2016 on a membership charge in the Gylen group.

“You can see that this is more than just a charge of a man in the Istanbul Consulate,” said Ackerman. /Periscopi/