WASHINGTON
The U.S. does not and will not interfere in the internal affairs of Turkey, said U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes on Wednesday, in a question and answer session after the press briefing in the White House.
Rhodes said that, the U.S. president Barack Obama and Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are effectivly in contact as allies they have established close cooperations on geographical problems.
Rhodes said that, the U.S. will refuse to get involve in Turkey's politics as "Turkey is a democratic country and a NATO member, and they have established a strong democracy."
The relations between Turkey and the US soured in December following an Istanbul-based anti-graft operation leading to the arrests of high-profile politicians and businessmen. In December, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused an unspecified group of ambassadors to Turkey of "provocation" and "ruses", calling on them to "do your job" over graft allegations relating to public tenders.
Ricciardone said Sunday his country had nothing to do with the anti-graft operation.
The Istanbul-based operation that was launched on December 17 has led to the arrest of two dozens of high-profile bureaucrats, politicians and businessmen, including the sons of two key cabinet ministers and the head of state-owned lender Halkbank.
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