ISTANBUL (AP) 鈥� Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Monday stepped back from a threat to expel the ambassadors of 10 Western nations over their support for a jailed activist, defusing a potential diplomatic crisis.
鈥淲e believe that these ambassadors, who have fulfilled their commitment to Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, will now be more careful in their statements,鈥� he said in televised remarks following a three-hour Cabinet meeting in Ankara.
The envoys, including those of the U.S., Germany and France, last week called for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has been in a Turkish prison for four years awaiting trial on charges many view as unfounded.
The ambassadors of the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and New Zealand also joined the appeal.
As Monday鈥檚 Cabinet meeting was underway, the U.S. embassy in Ankara tweeted that it 鈥渕aintains compliance鈥� with Article 41, which outlines diplomats鈥� duties to respect the laws of the host state and not to interfere in internal affairs. Other missions posted the same message.
State-run Anadolu news agency interpreted this as a 鈥渟tep back.鈥� Citing presidency sources, it reported that the development was 鈥渞eceived positively鈥� by Erdogan.
鈥淭hose who have shaped our country as they wished in the past panicked when Turkey made its own stand,鈥� Erdogan asserted after the meeting.
He portrayed the 鈥渙utrageous鈥� initial statement as a direct attack on Turkey鈥檚 judiciary and sovereignty. 鈥淥ur intention is never to create a crisis, but to protect the dignity of our country,鈥� the president said.
鈥淎nyone who doesn鈥檛 respect the independence of our country and the sensitivities of our nation, no matter what his title is, cannot be accommodated in this country.鈥�
Erdogan announced on Saturday that he had ordered the envoys to be declared persona non grata, paving the way for them to be expelled from Turkey.
The crisis threatened fresh turmoil in Ankara鈥檚 troubled relations with NATO allies and EU members. The Turkish lira plummeted after Erdogan鈥檚 weekend statement, hitting an all-time low of 9.85 against the dollar on Monday morning.
The president鈥檚 Monday comments marked the end of a tense two days, with no official statement on possible action against the diplomats since Saturday.
鈥淭he whole situation is a serious matter but we understand that the concerned countries have not yet been notified about any action,鈥� European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said earlier Monday.
A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin, before Erdogan's later remarks, that 鈥渨e take note of the statements of the Turkish President with concern and also with incomprehension.鈥�
鈥淪o far there has not been a formal announcement from the Turkish side,鈥� Steffen Seibert said, adding that 鈥渨e are in close talks with our partners who are affected by a similar threat.鈥�
A group of about 40 pro-government protesters gathered near the U.S. embassy in Ankara on Monday demanding the removal of the 10 envoys. Members of the Youth Union of Turkey carried banners including a mock-up of an airline boarding pass.
Kavala, 64, was acquitted in February last year of charges linked to nationwide anti-government protests in 2013, but the ruling was overturned and joined to charges relating to a 2016 coup attempt. He faces a life sentence if convicted.
The European Court of Human Rights called for his release in 2019, saying his incarceration acted to silence him and was not supported by evidence of an offense. The Council of Europe says it will start infringement proceedings against Turkey at the end of November if Kavala is not freed.
Although Kavala鈥檚 continued incarceration has been widely criticized abroad, Turkey maintains he is 小蓝视频 held according to the rulings of its independent judiciary.
Kavala鈥檚 wife, Ayse Bugra, described his imprisonment as inexplicable. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way this situation can be explained either logically or legally,鈥� she said in comments published on Halk TV鈥檚 website on Monday.
Bugra, a professor of political economy, said the president鈥檚 comments on Saturday, in which he compared her husband鈥檚 imprisonment to the treatment of 鈥渂andits, murderers and terrorists鈥� in other countries, contradicted the principle of judicial independence.
As a member of the Council of Europe Turkey is bound by the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. Bugra said she regarded the ambassadors鈥� statement as an effort to curtail possible action against Turkey.
鈥淭he Council of Europe鈥檚 Committee of Ministers said it would impose sanctions if Osman is not released at the end of November,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is something serious. I interpret the envoys鈥� initiative as a well-intentioned attempt to prevent things from becoming this way.鈥�
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Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Andrew Wilks, The Associated Press
