(VOA News) – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attends an ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting in Singapore, Aug. 3, 2018. Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, met on the sidelines of the Singapore meeting to discuss U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with his Turkish counterpart Friday in an effort to obtain the release of Andrew Brunson, a detained U.S. pastor who Turkey accuses of backing terrorism. The Trump administration has placed sanctions on Turkish officials because of Brunson’s detention. Turkey says the sanctions are unacceptable.
Pompeo and Mevlut Cavusoglu met on the sidelines of a meeting of regional ministers in Singapore.
Andrew Craig Brunson, an evangelical pastor from Black Mountain, North Carolina, arrives at his house in Izmir, Turkey, July 25, 2018. An American pastor who had been jailed in Turkey for over 18 months on terror and espionage charges was recently released to house arrest.
Andrew Craig Brunson, an evangelical pastor from Black Mountain, North Carolina, arrives at his house in Izmir, Turkey, July 25, 2018. An American pastor who had been jailed in Turkey for over 18 months on terror and espionage charges was recently released to house arrest.
Pompeo told reporters traveling with him before the meeting that the U.S. has warned Turkey “that the clock had run out and it was time for Pastor Brunson to be returned.”
The top U.S. diplomat said, “Brunson needs to come home as do all the Americans being held by the Turkish government. Pretty straightforward. They’ve been holding these folks for a long time. These are innocent people.”
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