Turkey Urbanization Minister Vows To Shun US Building Materials Amid Diplomatic Row

Turkey Urbanization Minister Vows to Shun US Building Materials Amid Diplomatic Row

Turkey's Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum said on Tuesday that the ministry will find construction materials suppliers other than the United States amid the crisis in the Ankara-Washington relations.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2018) Turkey's Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum said on Tuesday that the ministry will find construction materials suppliers other than the United States amid the crisis in the Ankara-Washington relations.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to sanction Turkey over Ankara's detention of US pastor Andrew Brunson. Last week, Trump said he had authorized doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey, up to 50 and 20 percent, respectively. The Turkish lira briefly fell 20 percent against the US Dollar reaching a record low amid the news.

"The ministry will make new campaigns offering favorable interest rates and payment terms in order to mobilize the real estate sector," the minister said, as cited by the Daily Sabah, adding that Turkey would not be affected by the US sanctions.

Turkey detained Brunson about two years ago on suspicion of ties to the FETO movement founded by Islamic cleric Gulen, whom Ankara accused of orchestrating the 2016 failed military coup. In late July, Brunson was released from a Turkish prison and placed under house arrest.