Erdogan backs down on threat to expel Western envoys - report

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed down from his threat to expel 10 Western ambassadors over their joint statement of support for a jailed civil society leader, Al Jazeera reported.

Erdogan said during the weekend he had ordered the envoys to be declared persona non grata for seeking the release of prominent philanthropist Osman Kavala, detained for 4 years on charges of financing protests and involvement in an attempted coup.

He spoke after the United States and several of the other concerned countries issued identical statements saying they respected a UN convention that required diplomats not to interfere in the host country’s domestic affairs.

Erdogan said the new statement “shows they have taken a step back from the slander against our country”, adding: “They will be more careful now.”

The envoys from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand and the U.S. called last week for a just and speedy resolution to Kavala’s case, and for his “urgent release”.

Earlier, Erdogan “welcomed” statements on Monday by several Western embassies. They were made almost simultaneously on Twitter as Erdogan entered a cabinet meeting to discuss the possible expulsion of the diplomats.