WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) US President Mike Pence threatened Turkey with unspecified consequences if it continues to hold American pastor Andrew Brunson in custody nearly two years after his arrest on what the Trump administration calls bogus charges, according to a statement.
"Pastor Andrew Brunson is an innocent man held in Turkey and justice demands that he be released. Turkey would do well not to test POTUS Trumps resolve to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States," Pence said via Twitter on Wednesday.
The United States has previously imposed sanctions on Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, blaming both officials for the continued imprisonment of Brunson.
Last week, Trump announced a doubling of tariffs on imports of Turkish steel and aluminum in a tweet that contained an oblique reference to deteriorating relations between Washington and Ankara - a reference that was widely interpreted as further retaliation for Brunsons detention. The announcement did not affect tariffs on other steel- and aluminum-suppliers to the United States.
White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said yesterday that the steel and aluminum tariffs were specific to national security and not tied Brunson.
However, it was unclear whether Sanders remarks referred to 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum on all countries that Trump announced in May or a doubling of the tariffs announced last week to 50 percent on steel and 20 percent for Turkey alone.
Earlier on Wednesday, Turkey rejected Washingtons latest appeal for the release of Brunson and imposed retaliatory duties on US products.
