October 13, 2017•Update: October 15, 2017
By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
Turkey’s opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader on Friday called on officials in Turkey and the U.S. to deescalate tensions over the visa issue.
“It is our suggestion that the U.S. and Turkey deescalate the tension,” Devlet Bahceli said in a tweet on micro-blogging site Twitter.
"If it wouldn't [deescalate], we are not the ones to think about it, but the U.S.," he added.
Bahceli referring to the outgoing U.S. Ambassador John Bass said, “Foreign diplomats in our country should not be arrogant, but respectful.”
Following the arrest of Metin Topuz, a Turkish U.S. Consulate employee on Oct. 6 over alleged ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) -- said to be behind last year’s attempted coup -- U.S. authorities complained Topuz had not received sufficient access to his lawyer.
The arrest led to the suspension of U.S. non-immigrant visa services in Turkey, prompting a tit-for-tat response from Turkey.
According to a statement sent by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to a court, Topuz has been charged with spying, attempting to eliminate the constitutional order and attempting to overthrow the Turkish government and met his lawyer three times.
He has allegedly been linked to 121 FETO suspects, including police chiefs, over a prolonged period, the statement said.
