UPDATE-Turkey: Opposition party slams US move to suspend visa

UPDATE WITH REMARKS OF CHP'S DEPUTY CHAIRMAN; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s main opposition party on Monday criticized a U.S. decision to suspend all non-immigrant visa operations at all American diplomatic facilities in Turkey.

Speaking to journalists in parliament, Engin Altay, the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) parliamentary group deputy chairman, called on the U.S. to act sensibly.

“We are calling for common sense on this issue. We are making the same call to both [the ruling Justice and Development] AK Party, the government, the president and the U.S.,” he said.

Altay said the U.S. decision had hurt the Turkish nation’s pride.

He added: “This is a breaking point for Turkish-American relations.”

The U.S. on Sunday suspended all non-immigrant visa operations at all U.S. diplomatic facilities in Turkey., saying it was reassessing Turkey's commitment to the security of U.S. facilities and personnel.

Turkey retaliated by suspending non-immigrant visa service in the U.S. citing security concerns.

"In order to minimize the number of visitors to our Embassy and Consulates…we have suspended all non-immigrant visa service at all Turkish diplomatic facilities in the U.S.,” said the Turkish Embassy in the U.S. in a statement.

In a press conference on Monday in parliament, Ozturk Yilmaz, the CHP’s deputy chairman, also criticized the U.S. move.

"We do not approve of the U.S. visa decision aimed at punishing all Turks. [We wish] the step taken by the Turkish side also had not happened," said Yilmaz.

Yilmaz called on Turkish and U.S. authorities to find a diplomatic solution to the issue. "We call on both sides: Let's ruduce the tension, and let's work on a road map through which we can overcome the issue with dialogue."

Turkish national Metin Topuz, confirmed by the U.S.’ Istanbul Consulate as a local employee, was remanded in custody over terror charges by an Istanbul court on Wednesday.

Topuz is linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup in Turkey, a judicial source said on Wednesday.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the attempted coup, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Topuz has been linked to a number of FETO suspects, including police commissioners and former prosecutor Zekeriya Oz, a fugitive accused of attempting to overthrow the government through the use of force, according to a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.