Turkish officials warn new US ambassador against interfering in domestic affairs after media comment

Turkish officials have warned the new US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone against interfering in its domestic affairs after he commented on Turkey detaining reporters despite pledging support for press freedom.

Prominent journalist Soner Yalcin and three colleagues were detained this week and were due to appear in court on Thursday in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the government. "On the one hand there exists a stated policy of support for a free press. On the other hand, journalists are put under detention. We are trying to make sense of this," Ricciardone told reporters on Tuesday.

His remarks drew a barrage of criticism from several Turkish officials. Huseyin Celik, deputy chairman of the ruling AK Party, said there was a line that ambassadors should not cross. "Of course, ambassadors cannot interfere in our internal affairs. They can't design our domestic policy. They have an area designated for them on this subject," he said in comments widely reported by Turkish newspapers on Thursday.

State Minister Egemen Bagis, Turkey's chief negotiator in talks with the European Union, said the United States had itself detained reporters in the past for not revealing their sources. "The ambassador is very new. His comments about Turkey are not linked to his knowledge and experience, but what he has heard," Zaman newspaper quoted Bagis as saying. "There are journalists in his own country who are in jail for not revealing news sources."

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said in turn it was a matter for the courts if journalists were involved in illegal activity unrelated to freedom of expression. "Maybe the esteemed ambassador must serve a bit longer to see this detail," Arinc said.