UPDATE 2 - Turkey summons US envoy over Twitter ‘liking’

UPDATES WITH US EMBASSY APOLOGY, CHANGES DECK

By Nazlı Yuzbasioglu and Rabia Iclal Turan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s Foreign Ministry Sunday summoned U.S.’ charge d'affaires in Ankara over embassy’s "liking” a Twitter message by a FETO fugitive, attacking Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said that U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Jeffrey M. Hovenier was asked for a clear explanation after the U.S. Embassy in Ankara “liked” a Twitter message by Ergun Babahan, a Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) member who fled Turkey following the July 15 coup attempt in 2016.

Turkey summoned Hovenier since U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield was out of town, Aksoy said.

Hovenier told Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal that it was by mistake, and the U.S. embassy fixed it later, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

"After we gave the necessary reactions, we told them to fix it more clearly," Cavusoglu told reporters at the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's 29th Consultation and Assessment camp in Kizilcahamam, Ankara.

- US Embassy reiterates apology

The U.S. Embassy apologized for the second time on Sunday on Twitter.

“We apologize for the mistake that occurred on our Twitter account yesterday. We do not associate ourselves with Ergun Babahan nor do we endorse or agree with the content of his tweet. We reiterate our regret for this error.”

On Saturday, the official Twitter account of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara “liked” a Twitter message by Babahan, which was attacking MHP leader Devlet Bahceli amid rumors about his health, who was hospitalized for nausea last week, but discharged after a brief treatment.

Later the U.S. Embassy shared an apology message on Twitter over the incident.

"Earlier today our Embassy Twitter account 'liked' an unrelated post in error. We regret the mistake and apologize for any confusion," it said.