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Erdogan: Turkey does not recognize US ambassador after visa spat
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that his country does not recognize the authority of the current US ambassador, John Bass, after the United States decided to suspend visa services within Turkey on Sunday, as reported by CNN.
"In fact, this ambassador is doing his farewell visits," remarked Ergodan. "And right now, be it our cabinet ministers, parliament head -- and I personally am not accepting his farewell visit, and will not do so, because we do not see him as a representative of the United States in Turkey -- let me say that clearly."
Bass, who was sworn in as ambassador to Turkey in September 2014, was recently confirmed by the US Senate for his next post as ambassador to Afghanistan.
Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade, Erdogan went on to speculate whether Bass made the decision to suspend visa services without the prior approval of the State Department or White House, an unlikely possibility for which he offered no evidence.
"If he made this decision in his head himself, then higher US authorities should not keep him in his position one minute longer," said Erdogan. "'How can you disparage Turkish-American relations like that? Who gave you that power?' they should say."
