Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 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.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"We believe that these ambassadors, who have fulfilled their commitment to Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, will now be more careful in their statements," he said in televised remarks following a three-hour cabinet meeting in Ankara.
The envoys, including those of the US, 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.
"Anyone who doesn't respect the independence of our country and the sensitivities of our nation, no matter what his title is, cannot be accommodated in this country," Erdogan said.
