Turkey's Erdogan averts diplomatic crises, takes U-turn on decision to expel 10 envoys

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed down from a threat to remove 10 Western ambassadors on Monday, October 25 averting a diplomatic crisis that analysts and diplomats predicted would result in economic ruin for Turkey and a long-term rift in the NATO alliance. He presented the incident as an obligation to safeguard Turkish sovereignty in a televised address following a cabinet meeting.

Earlier on Monday, October 25, the chairman of the Liberal Innovation Party, Ozturk Yilmaz had told Sputnik that the ramifications of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to withdraw 10 Western ambassadors might be severe.

Sputnik reported, citing Ozturk Yilmaz, "It's a tough decision. We will wait and see if Erdogan abides by his decision, then there would be severe consequences for Turkey as well. Let's wait and see. I hope reason will prevail in these disputes." According to the politician, the reciprocity principle will oblige the 10 Western countries to expel Turkish diplomats in exchange. Economic penalties, trade restrictions, and other political repercussions could be implemented as well. However, Yilmaz had predicted that there's a possibility of Erdogan backing down on his warning. 

'Our will is never to cause a crisis' says Erdogan after taking U-turn

On Monday, Turkish President Erdogan backtracked on his warning to label ten Western ambassadors "persona non grata" in response to their joint call for the release of a detained activist businessman. Following a cabinet meeting, Erdogan praised a new statement issued by numerous Western embassies in Ankara, which stated that they adhere to a diplomatic convention that forbids them from interfering in the internal affairs of a host nation, Xinhua reported.

“Our will is never to cause a crisis, but to protect the rights and law, honor, interests and sovereign rights of our country. Thus, today the same ambassadors with a new statement turned back from their defamation of our judiciary and of our country. I believe from now on they will be more careful about their statements regarding sovereign rights,” Xinhua reported, citing Erdogan.

Erdogan said over the weekend that he had ordered the foreign ministry to declare the ambassadors of the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland "persona non grata" for interfering in Turkish affairs after they issued a statement in support of imprisoned Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, who is accused of involvement in the 2013 protests and the 2016 coup. The diplomacy averted a huge blowup with Turkey's Western partners, which many believed would result in new economic crisis and political instability in the 80-million-strong country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: ANI