ANKARA: Turkiye on Thursday summoned the ambassadors and top envoys of nine Western powers to condemn the mass closure of European consulates in Istanbul due to security concerns.

The United States and several European nations have advised citizens not to attend mass events and to avoid tourist hotspots because of a heightened terror threat. At least seven European countries have temporarily closed their Istanbul consulates to the general public as a precaution. The US consulate remains open because it is far removed from the city centre and less vulnerable to an attack.

The security warnings came during a spike in diplomatic tensions linked to Turkiye’s refusal to let Sweden and Finland join the US-led Nato defence bloc.

A diplomatic source said the ambassadors and senior representatives of Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States attended the foreign ministry meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023