| Author (Person) | Aydintasbas, Asli |
|---|---|
| Publisher | European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) |
| Series Title | Commentary |
| Series Details | 27.10.17 |
| Publication Date | 27/10/2017 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog, News |
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The author asks: Think Turkey’s relationship with Europe is bad? Think again. Once the bedrock of Turkey’s foreign policy, Ankara’s ties with Washington have hit an all-time low in October 2017, with Turks arresting U.S. consular employees and the United States responding with a visa ban. As of 10 October 2017, U.S. consular offices and embassies in Turkey had suspended processing visa applications for Turkish citizens, only allowing those with existing visas to travel to the U.S. With chaos unfolding in neighboring Iraq and Syria, a fragile economy, and poor relations with neighbouring Europe, the last thing Erdogan needs in the run up to 2019 presidential elections is a crisis with the country’s long-time NATO ally. But at this point, that looks impossible to avoid. Also note information concerning a court case starting in November 2017 in New York concerning allegation against an Iranian businessman with close connections to Turkey, Reza Zarrab. He was charged with evading Iran sanctions, and was expected as part of a plea bargain to make allegations of corruption in the Turkish government, which could have significant political and economic implications for Turkey. It could also further damage relations between Turkey and the United States. Turkish officials claimed the trial was a conspiracy by the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_turkey_us_relations_locked_into_a_downward_spiral_7232 |
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| Countries / Regions | Turkey, United States |
