US State Department:This is Nothing New for Us

Asked about Ambassador Ricciardone’s recent statements in the Turkish media on several Turkish court cases during a press conference on Thursday in Washington, Victoria Nuland stressed that “Ambassador Ricciardone only reiterated what former US Secretary of State Clinton had said on several Turkish court cases. I am sure that (new) US Secretary of State John Kerry would say the same things when he gets a chance to speak to the public opinion.”

“This is nothing new for us. We have been very frank on such issues in Turkey in front of the public and in special environments,” Nuland underlined.

The responsibility of Turkey’s friends and allies is to strengthen the rule of law in Turkey and to protect human rights as well as to point out, with due respect, the importance of progressing in protecting freedom of expression for journalists and blog writers, Nuland added.

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