BREAKING NEWS

Turkey's Erdogan says ambassadors took a step back

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Western ambassadors who he had called to be expelled had taken a step back and would be more careful in their statements.

He was speaking after chairing a cabinet meeting, during which the US and other embassies had said that they abide by a diplomatic convention not to interfere in a host country's affairs.

Erdogan said at the weekend he had ordered the envoys declared "persona non grata" for calling for the release of Osman Kavala, a philanthropist detained on charges of financing protests and involvement in an attempted coup.