US resumes visas for Turks ahead of prime minister’s visit
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will meet with US Vice President Mike Pence this week after a series of detentions and differences over Syria have damaged relations between the traditional allies.
The US State Department eased visa restrictions on Turkish citizens in an apparent welcoming gift for Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who is in Washington this week for talks on a slew of disputes fraying ties between the NATO allies.
Tensions erupted on Oct. 8, when US missions in Turkey suspended non-immigration visas after authorities arrested a long-time employee at the Istanbul consulate in connection with a 2016 coup plot. It's the second time this year a local consular staff member was jailed in Turkey.
The US Embassy said late on Monday that the security situation had “improved sufficiently to allow for the resumption of limited visa services in Turkey” after high-level Turkish officials had assured it that no other local employees were under investigation and no further arrests would be carried out without first informing the US government.
Turkey, which had likewise suspended visas for Americans, also lifted restrictions on Monday, but a subsequent statement differed sharply. “Turkey is a state of law, and our government cannot provide any assurances regarding files that are subjects of ongoing legal processes,” said the Turkish Embassy in Washington.
