Turkey slams West for security warnings ‘harming’ tourism

By SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey has slammed a group of Western countries which temporarily closed down their consulates in Istanbul over security concerns. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Thursday accused the countries of waging “psychological warfare” and trying to wreck Turkey’s tourism industry. Germany, the Netherlands and Britain were among countries that shut down their consulates in the city of some 16 million this week. The German Embassy cited the risk of possible retaliatory attacks following Quran-burning incidents in some European countries. The United States and other countries issued travel warnings urging citizens to exercise vigilance. Soylu alleged the measures were part of a Western plot to harm a rebound in Turkey’s tourism sector, following the coronavirus pandemic.