Turkey has called the ambassadors of nine Western countries to account for the closure of their consulates, reports the Turkish state news agency Anadolu. In recent days, countries have closed their consulates due to the increased threat of attacks. There is anger in Turkey against Western diplomats following protests involving the burning and dismemberment of Korans in Stockholm and The Hague, among others.
The French press agency AFP writes on the basis of a diplomatic source, who wished to remain unnamed, that it is about the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, as well as Belgium. At the moment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not confirm this information.
At least six of the countries involved, according to AFP, announced earlier this week that they would temporarily close their consulates in Istanbul or embassies in Ankara because of the increased risk of attack following various Islamophobic actions in Europe. For example, during anti-Turkish protests, Korans were burned in several places. The US and France also recommended avoiding various tourist attractions, such as Taksim Square in Istanbul.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu accuses nine countries of waging “psychological warfare” against Turkey. He warns that the tourism sector in Turkey may bear the brunt of the consulate closures. According to the country, there is a conspiracy to kill the Turkish tourism sector.
“More than the day we presented our goal of attracting 60 million tourists, at the time we get 50.5 million, they are going to start another psychological war against Turkey,” the interior minister said. A spokesman for AKP, the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also called the warnings of Western countries “irresponsible”.
Source : HLN
