Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) meets with US Ambassador to Türkiye Jeff Flake (left) at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on January 2022. Photo: Presidential Press via Reuters.
On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that the Türkiye’s doors are closed to US Ambassador Jeffry Flake. “Why? Because he needs to know his place,” stated Erdogan.
These statements come after the US diplomat met with the leading Turkish opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
The opposition leader is running in the presidential elections scheduled for May 14. Additionally, Erdogan stressed, “we have to teach the US a lesson in these elections.”
As reported by the US embassy in Türkiye, the meeting between Flake and Kilicdaroglu dealt with “matters of mutual interest” between the two countries. Furthermore, Flake extended condolences to Kilicdaroglu due to the losses following the recent earthquakes. In this regard, Erdogan insisted that the interlocutor of the US embassy in Türkiye “is the president.”
#AmbassadorFlake met with CHP Chairperson @kilicdarogluk today as part of continuing conversations with Turkish political parties on issues of mutual interest between our two countries. He expressed American solidarity and condolences for Türkiye’s earthquake losses. pic.twitter.com/aR0jRS7wJA
— U.S. Embassy Türkiye (@USEmbassyTurkey) March 29, 2023
Kemal Kilicdaroglu leads the opposition to face President Erdogan in the upcoming elections. The Turkish president is seeking re-election, leading the Justice and Development Party.
A few days before the devastating earthquake in Türkiye, Turkish Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu called on the US ambassador to remove his “dirty hands” from Türkiye.
“I tell the US ambassador here that I know which journalists you have been giving assignments to. Get your dirty hands off of Türkiye. I clearly know the steps you have taken and how you want to sow doubt,” was the Minister’s message.
Türkiye has pointed out the US interference in internal affairs on several occasions. Notably, the Turkish government has condemned the protection in the United States given to a key figure in the 2016 attempted coup against Erdogan, Fethullah Gülen.
(RedRadioVE) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
