U.S. and Turkey mutually suspend visa services

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The U.S. Embassy in Turkey announced suspending all non-immigrant visa services after the arrest of a U.S. consulate employee in Istanbul, CNN reports.

“Recent events have forced the United States government to reassess the commitment of government of Turkey to the security of U.S. mission and personnel”, the statement by the U.S. mission in Ankara said.

In response to the U.S. side, the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. issued a statement saying: “Recent events have forced the Turkish Government to reassess the commitment of the Government of the U.S. to the security of the Turkish Mission facilities and personnel. In order to minimize the number of the visitors to our diplomatic and consular missions in the U.S. while this assessment proceeds, effective immediately we have suspended all visa services regarding the U.S. citizens at our diplomatic and consular missions in the U.S. This measure will apply to sticker visas as well as e-Visas and border visas”.

The US said it was "deeply disturbed" by the consulate employee's arrest,named in Turkish state mediaas locally hired Metin Topuz, after he was charged over alleged links to Pennsylvania-based opposition clericFethullah Gulen.

He was remanded in custody over "terror charges" by an Istanbul court last week. Topuz is the second US government employee in Turkey to be arrested this year.