Turkey's Cavusoglu, US' Tillerson speak by phone

There are at least 11 USA citizens now under arrest in Turkey.

Turkey had "adhered to high level assurances" made to the United States and, as a result, the US State Department "is confident that the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the full resumption of visa services in Turkey", the embassy said in a statement.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke with his USA counterpart Rex Tillerson on the phone about Washington's decision to lift restrictions on visa services, a diplomatic source said late Thursday.

The State Department will fully resume visa services for Turkish citizens.

"Based on adherence to these assurances, the Department of State is confident that the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the full resumption of visa services in Turkey", the U.S. Embassy in Ankara said Thursday. The employee of United States consulate was arrested over suspected links to a cleric blamed for last year's failed coup in Ankara.

In a reciprocal move, Turkey also lifted restrictions on visa services for American citizens, according to the embassy.

"By lifting restrictions on USA visa applications for our citizens, we welcome the decision to return to the old plan as of today".

Earlier, the United States had said it was suspending the processing of all non-immigrant visas in Turkey following the "recent events that have forced the United States Government to reassess the commitment of the government of Turkey to the security of US mission facilities and personnel". The embassy stressed, however, that the Turkish government has given no assurances to Washington, refuting the US embassy's earlier claim.

The US decision to stop handing out visas was implemented from October and was followed by the tit-for-tat move by Turkey to stop giving Turkish visas to Americans.

"Regarding the assurances expressed in the U.S. statement, we would like to emphasise that Turkey is a state of law, and that our government has not provided any assurances concerning the ongoing judicial processes", the Turkish embassy's statement read.

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