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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 10 OcTOber 2017
Turkey wants US to review suspended visas UAE official says Qatar giving

By SUZAN FRASER that U.S. officials were “un- tice Minister Abdulhamit up World Cup may end ‘crisis’
Associated Press able to determine why it Gul. “Everyone should fol-
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — occurred, or what, if any, low (legal procedures) By JON GAMBRELL
Turkey’s justice minister on evidence exists against the with respect.” Associated Press
Monday said he hoped employee.” He said Topuz Despite the seemingly DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A top Emirati security
the United States would had not been allowed friendly relations between official has said the only way for “Qatar’s crisis” to end
review its decision to sus- “sufficient” access to his U.S. President Donald is if Doha gave up hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his
pend most visa services attorney. Trump and Erdogan, ties comments coming amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute
for Turkish citizens following Bass added that the ar- between the two countries between the energy-rich nation and four Arab countries.
Dubai security Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan, known for being
outspoken on Twitter, later wrote Monday his “personal
analysis” of what he described as the financial pressure
Doha faces in hosting the games had been misunder-
stood.
But his remarks came as lobbying firms backed by the
four nations opposing Qatar in the diplomatic dispute
increasingly target the upcoming soccer competition in
their criticism.
The tournament has not come up in the demands pre-
viously made by the boycotting countries, though losing
the World Cup would represent a bitter defeat for the tiny
peninsular nation that’s pushed itself onto the world stage
with its bid and its Al-Jazeera satellite news network.
Qatari officials did not respond to requests for comment
on Monday. However, the 2022 tournament’s head in
Qatar told The Associated Press on Friday the boycott
poses “no risk” to the competition being held.
Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emir-
ates all cut diplomatic ties and began a boycott of Qatar
on June 5 , in part over allegations that Doha supports
extremists and has overly warm ties to Iran.
Qatar has long denied funding extremists and restored
full diplomatic ties to Iran amid the dispute. Doha shares
Members of the media work outside the United States consulate in Istanbul, Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. a massive offshore natural gas field with Iran that makes
The Unites States had suspended non-immigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey its citizens incredibly wealthy.
following the arrest of a consulate employee. Turkish officials say Turkey is asking the United States
to reverse its decision to suspend non-immigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities, saying On Sunday night, Khalfan targeted the FIFA tournament
both countries’ citizens suffer from the move. in his tweets.
(AP Photo/Neyran Elden) “If the World Cup leaves Qatar, Qatar’s crisis will be over
the arrest of a U.S. consul- rest has “raised questions are tense over the arrest of ... because the crisis is created to get away from it,” he
ate employee in Istanbul whether the goal of some Topuz, a Turkish citizen, and wrote.
that has deepened ten- officials is to disrupt the several Americans over al- He added: “The cost is bigger than what the Hamadein
sions between the two long-standing cooperation leged ties to a movement have planned,” likely referring to Qatar’s former ruling
NATO allies. between Turkey and the led by U.S.-based cleric emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and former For-
Meanwhile, Turkish authori- U.S.” Fethullah Gulen, whom eign Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani. Some believe
ties announced that a sec- Speaking during a visit to Turkey blames for last sum- both still wield influence within Qatar’s current govern-
ond employee of the U.S. Ukraine, Turkish President mer’s coup attempt. Gu- ment now ruled by the former emir’s son, Sheikh Tamim
consulate in Istanbul had Recep Tayyip Erdogan len denies involvement. bin Hamad Al Thani.
been “invited” to the Is- called the U.S. decision Topuz is accused of espio- Khalfan, who previously has written controversy-catching
tanbul chief prosecutor’s a “saddening” develop- nage and “attempting to tweets about Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump, also
office to testify. Authorities ment. He said that he had overthrow the Turkish gov- wrote that Qatar “is no longer our concern,” suggesting
did not explain why. Re- immediately ordered a ernment and constitution.” media in the boycotting countries dial back their cover-
ports say the employee is retaliatory measure that Turkey’s official Anadolu age of the dispute.
a Turkish citizen, and the resulted in the Turkish Em- news agency reported By Monday night, Khalfan returned to Twitter to write that
prosecutor’s office said his bassy in Washington issuing that he allegedly commu- his tweets were his “personal analysis.”
wife and child had also an almost identical text to nicated with former police “I said Qatar is faking a crisis and claims it’s besieged so
been detained for ques- the U.S. announcement. chiefs in a 2013 corruption it could get away from the burdens of building expensive
tioning. “Turkey is governed by the probe and others involved sports facilities for the World Cup,” he tweeted.
The U.S. on Sunday sus- rule of law. Above all, we in the attempted coup us- “That’s why Qatar isn’t ready and can’t host the next
pended the issuing of visas are not a tribe, we are not ing an encrypted mobile World Cup,” he added.As the crisis has dragged on de-
for Turkish citizens hoping a tribal state,” Erdogan messaging application. spite mediation by Kuwait, the United States and Europe-
to visit or study in the United said. Bass said Topuz worked an nations, Qatar’s opponents have begun targeting its
States after Turkey arrested Earlier, Turkey’s Foreign in an office “devoted to hosting of the FIFA cup. They’ve pointed to allegations of
U.S. consulate employee Ministry summoned the strengthening law enforce- corruption surrounding Qatar’s winning bid, as well as the
Metin Topuz last week on embassy’s second-in- ment cooperation” be- conditions that laborers working in Qatar face in building
allegations of espionage. charge, asking that Wash- tween Turkey and the U.S. infrastructure for the games.
Turkey immediately halted ington review the decision “Speaking to and travel- While FIFA ethics investigators found that the Qataris used
visa services in the U.S. in a that caused “unnecessary ing with Turkish police was a full range of lavishly funded state and sports agencies
tit-for-tat response. escalation” and “victim- part of his regular duties,” to win the 2010 vote to host the tournament, authorities
John Bass, the U.S. ambas- ized” both Turkish and U.S. the ambassador said. “The concluded there was no “evidence of any improper ac-
sador to Turkey, said in a citizens, a Turkish Foreign Turkish government has not tivity by the bid team.”
video message Monday Ministry official said. shared any information When Qatar’s sole land border with Saudi Arabia was
that Topuz was the second “It is Turkey’s right to try a to indicate the employee closed and sea traffic cut off by the boycott, World Cup
Turkish staff member to be Turkish citizen for acts car- was involved in any illegal organizers were forced to instigate a “Plan B,” including
arrested this year, adding ried out in Turkey,” said Jus- activity.q bringing in supplies from Turkey. q