New U.S. envoy presents credentials to Turkish president after 2-year vacancy

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-28 23:43:49|Editor: yan
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ANKARA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday received the letter of credentials presented by the new U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David Michael Satterfield at the presidential complex, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Satterfield was appointed to the post in late June, almost two years after his predecessor John Bass left Turkey in 2017 amid a visa row between the two countries.

In October 2017, Bass announced to suspend U.S. non-immigrant visa services to Turks, after two staff members of U.S. diplomatic mission in Turkey were arrested over spy allegations and links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkish embassy in Washington, in response, has suspended visa issuance to U.S. citizens in a reciprocal move shortly after.

Both countries have lifted the visa bans in December 2017.

The new U.S. envoy, 64 years old, has previously represented the United States in the Astana peace process meetings, which were held between Turkey, Russia and Iran to solve the crisis in Syria.

The senior diplomat has also served as acting assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs between 2017 and 2019.

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