Former AKP Deputy Metiner Makes New Statement After US Visa Application Rejected: 'I Made a Mistake Publishing the Foreign Ministry's Note'

As Cumhuriyet, we are reporting on the recent controversy surrounding former AKP lawmaker Mehmet Metiner's US visa application. Metiner's application was reportedly rejected, a situation that became public after he shared, and subsequently deleted, a diplomatic note from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the US Embassy. This action has led to a public discussion and some consternation.

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I made a mistake by publishing the note sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the US Embassy. I am even uncomfortable with this being discussed.

Metiner himself has acknowledged that sharing the note was a mistake, expressing discomfort with the ensuing public discourse. He explained that the note was part of a standard procedure for former lawmakers applying for visas, a system he has utilized before without issue. However, this time, his application was denied, leading to the ministry's intervention. He clarified that his intention was not to seek asylum or flee, questioning why he would need to do so given he has committed no crime.

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The note was issued as part of a system applied to former and current deputies. We applied, and they rejected it.

This incident has also drawn commentary from figures like Sözcü columnist Saygı Öztürk, who sought to contextualize the language used in the diplomatic note. Öztürk consulted with experienced ambassadors who affirmed that the phrasing, while perhaps bureaucratic, is standard in diplomatic communications. From our perspective at Cumhuriyet, while the specifics of Metiner's visa application are a personal matter, the public nature of the exchange and the subsequent discussion about diplomatic protocols raise important questions about transparency and the procedures governing interactions between Turkish officials and foreign embassies. The differing interpretations of the diplomatic note highlight the complexities of international relations and public communication.

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There is nothing unusual in these expressions; the language of the note is always like this.