Turkish Envoy to Washington Returning to U.S. Amid Embassy Row

Turkey’s ambassador to Washington is returning to the United States after being recalled for consultations two weeks ago over a U.S. decision to move its Israeli Embassy to Yerushalayim, an official in the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Serdar Kilic was recalled to Ankara amid a dispute with Israel and Washington over the move of the embassy.

Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s response to the Gaza protests and of the U.S. Embassy move, also recalling its ambassador from Tel Aviv and calling for an emergency meeting of Islamic nations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who will travel to Washington on June 4, said on Wednesday that Kilic would return to make preparations for the visit.

Minister Cavusoglu will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit, where the two will discuss a roadmap for northern Syria’s Manbij, which Turkey wants cleansed of the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara considers a terrorist organization.