As Turkish authorities crack down on protests in Istanbul and other cities, the US Secretary of State says Americans are concerned about instability in Turkey.
Marco Rubio said at the same time that US authorities want to work together with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We are watching. We have expressed concern. We do not like to see such instability in the governance of a country that is such a close ally,” Rubio said on a flight from the South American country of Suriname back to Miami.
Turkey has seen its biggest demonstrations in a decade in the past week, with students and others protesting the arrest and dismissal of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu last week. Imamoglu, a member of the opposition CHP party, is seen as Erdogan’s strongest challenger ahead of the planned presidential election in 2028.