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Turkish-US relations hit new low

October 14, 2017 at 1:02 am

US ambassador to Ankara, John Bass [m.habergzt/Facebook]

The outgoing US ambassador to Ankara, John Bass, has faced criticism during his three years in the Turkish capital for interfering in domestic issues, including political and judicial issues.

Recent remarks by Bass, who is expected to end his Turkish posting this weekend, on the arrest of Metin Topuz, an employee at the US Consulate in Istanbul, are an apparent attempt to interfere in the Turkish judiciary.

Topuz was arrested under an ongoing investigation against a 2013 plot by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization – the group behind last year’s defeated coup attempt in Turkey – known locally as the Dec. 17-25 incidents.

As Topuz is accused of attempting to topple the constitutional order, spying, and attempting to destroy the government of the Republic of Turkey, Bass came under fire for commenting that the accusations were motivated by “revenge”.

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