Turkish President Recep Erdogan has abandoned his intention to expel the ambassadors of ten western states from the country. At a press conference in Ankara, the Turkish leader said this, stressing that the ambassadors “backed down” and “will continue to be careful in their statements.”
Earlier in the day, the embassies of Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United States issued a statement on Twitter stating that, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, they do not intend to interfere in Turkey’s internal affairs.
On October 23, Turkish President Recep Erdogan ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expel the ambassadors of ten Western states from the country after they called for the release of Turkish human rights activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala, a suspect in the coup attempt.
Turkey is a NATO member and a candidate for EU membership. Despite this, Erdogan said that diplomats have no right to teach Ankara from its territory. “These ambassadors have no right to dare to come and start ordering us what to do! Who are you anyway? ” – he said, speaking at a rally of supporters of his Justice and Development Party.
