Ankara (MAY 23, 2017): Turkey on Monday called back its ambassador to the United States as a protest over security lapses and aggressive behavior of US security personnel with the president’s diplomatic escort during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington last week.
Turkey has also summoned the US envoy to complain against the behavior of US security personnel during the Erdogan’s visit to Washington that turned violent when the president’s diplomatic escort beat up protesters outside the Turkish diplomatic mission in Washington.
On Monday, Ankara said it had lodged a verbal and written protest at the behavior of US security personnel, saying they had taken actions that were “aggressive and unprofessional” and “contrary to diplomatic rules and practices”.
Turkey’s foreign ministry recalled diplomat H.E Mevlut Cavusoglu to Ankara over what it called “aggressive” and “unprofessional” tactics by U.S. security personnel.
The controversy started Tuesday when Turkish security guards accompanying Erdogan on his visit got physical with demonstrators outside Turkey’s embassy in Washington. Erdogan witnessed the fighting.
Ankara’s concerns stem from the actions of Washington, D.C., metro police, who used batons to break up the scuffles. “It has been formally requested that the U.S. authorities conduct a full investigation of this diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation,” the government statement continued.
Ankara said, “The lapses of security experienced during our president’s stay in Washington, which were caused by the inability of U.S. authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program, will not overshadow what in every other aspect was a very successful and important visit.”
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