Turkish business body says US, Turkey are ‘rational'

MUSIAD USA President Mustafa Tuncer said Monday he believes Turkey and the U.S. will resolve the issue surrounding the U.S.’s decision to suspend non-immigrant visa operations at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey “with common sense as soon as possible”.

“We believe the two allied countries, as NATO members, that have succeeded in collaborative works from Bosnia to Afghanistan, will solve this diplomatic tension with common sense,” said Tuncer, speaking on behalf of Turkey’s Independent Industrialist and Businessmen Association, or MUSIAD.

Tuncer emphasized the importance of pursuing economic, cultural, social and humanitarian ties “rationally”.

On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara announced it had suspended non-immigrant visa services at all diplomatic facilities in Turkey. In response, Turkey's Washington Embassy suspended non-immigrant visa services in the U.S., citing security concerns.

The U.S. on Monday clarified its decision, emphasizing that it only applies to the consideration of new visa applications.

The decision came after Turkish national Metin Topuz, confirmed by the U.S. Istanbul Consulate as a local employee, was remanded in custody over terror charges by an Istanbul court last week.

Topuz is linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup in Turkey, according to a judicial source.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the attempted coup, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Topuz has been linked to a number of FETO suspects, including police commissioners and former prosecutor Zekeriya Oz, a fugitive accused of attempting to overthrow the government through the use of force, added the source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.