Turkey's main opposition rejects US 'hostile' attitude

By Andac Hongur

ISTANBUL

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader on Saturday criticized the United States’ "hostile" attitude towards Turkey.

"We will never accept hostile attitude towards Turkey of a country, which we describe as a strategic ally," Kemal Kilicdaroglu said at a meeting in Istanbul.

Kilicdaroglu's remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump took to the Twitter and ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Kilicdaroglu said Trump's tweets have "tarnished honor of Turkish people," adding: "We will never accept this."

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy on Friday said in a statement that Trump's decision, which disregards World Trade Organization rules, "cannot be associated with seriousness expected from a state".

"All the steps taken against Turkey will be given a befitting response as they have been given before," Aksoy added.