US, Turkey put end to visa spat

THE United States and Turkey lifted all visa restrictions last Thursday after Washington said Ankara had kept to assurances no further US mission staff would be targeted for performing official duties, following detention of two earlier this year.

But Turkey swiftly denied having granted such assurances in the affair that has tested relations since the two local employees of the US consulate in Istanbul were held on suspicion of ties to last year’s failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The United States suspended visa services at its missions in Turkey in October and Turkey reciprocated. In November, Washington said it was resuming limited services upon getting assurances on the safety of its local staff.

“Based on adherence to these assurances, the Department of State is confident that the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the full resumption of visa services in Turkey,” the US Embassy in Ankara said last Thursday.

It said the United States continued to have concerns about the two employees detained.

Turkey, while announcing the end of restrictions on the issue of visas to US citizens, took issue with the US declaration.

“We do not find it right for the United States to claim it had received assurances from Turkey and misinform the US and Turkish publics,” the Turkish Embassy in Washington said in a statement.