The Turkish authorities summoned Philip Kosnett, the US embassy charge d'affairs on Thursday to voice anger over the "inaccurate information" released by the State department, the media outlet reported, citing a senior Turkish official.
The move was made after the US Department of State launched a new travel advisory system for all states based on security conditions in the country on January 10. Within the framework of this system, Turkey has been listed in one group with Sudan, Pakistan and Guatemala, as countries with an "increased security risk" and US citizens were advised to reconsider traveling to such states.
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As a retaliatory step to Washington's decision, Turkey has called on its citizens to avoid traveling to the US, explaining it by the terrorist attacks that took place there, as well as violent incidents and "arbitrary arrests." The latter refers to the arrest of Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a deputy CEO at Turkey's Halkbank, which Ankara considers to be a part of a political process against Turkish citizens.
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Kosnett had already been called to the ministry on January 10, but because of another issue: for Ankara to protest against Washington's support provided to Syrian Kurds, who are believed to have ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), regarded as a terrorist group in Turkey.
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This step was taken after Washington voiced its decision to stop supplying the Kurdish forces with arms in December 2017, but, as Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz has explained to Sputnik, the US has failed to prove their stance with documented evidence and the statements from the White House continued to differ on the issue.
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