ISTANBUL – Turkey on Friday threatened to respond if the United Stateslevied further sanctions over the detention of an American pastor, whichhas sparked a diplomatic standoff and battered the Turkish currency.
“We´ve already responded based on the World Trade Organisation rules andwill continue to do so,” Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan was quoted as sayingby the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Washington warned on Thursday that it would impose more sanctions unlesspastor Andrew Brunson, described by US President Donald Trump as a”hostage”, was released.
Brunson´s detention since October 2016 on terror-related charges has souredrelations between the two NATO allies, sending the Turkish lira into atailspin.
The lira, which earlier this week traded at well over seven to the dollar,was at 5.8 against the dollar and 6.7 against euro on Friday.
Last week, Trump tweeted that his administration was doubling aluminium andsteel tariffs for Turkey, and in response Ankara sharply hiked tariffs onsome US products.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested Thursday the next spiral oftit-for-tat sanctions was coming soon, in a sign of a deepening spat.
Trump prefaced Mnuchin´s remarks by saying that Turkey had not been a verygood friend to America.
Referring to Brunson, Trump said: “They have a great Christian pastorthere, he´s a very innocent man.” – APP/AFP