TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said he instructed the Turkish foreign minister to declare 10 ambassadors of Western countries in the capital Ankara as “persona non grata” after they made a joint statement for the release of a jailed businessman.

“I gave the necessary order to our foreign minister. I said what must be done. These 10 ambassadors must be declared persona non grata. You will sort out immediately,” Erdogan said during a speech in the central Eskisehir province.

On Tuesday, Turkish foreign ministry summoned ambassadors of 10 countries over a joint statement calling for the release of activist and businessman Osman Kavala.

“Together, the embassies of Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America believe a just and speedy resolution to his case must be in line with Turkey’s international obligations and domestic laws. Noting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on the matter, we call on Turkey to secure his urgent release,” the ambassadors said

Kavala was acquitted in 2020 of charges related to nationwide Gezi protests in 2013. But his ruling was overturned and was combined with a probe into a coup attempt in 2016 on the accusation of spying.

Seven of the ambassadors represent Turkey’s NATO allies and the expulsions, if carried out, would open the deepest rift with the West in Erdogan’s 19 years in power.

“They will know and understand Turkey. The day they do not know and understand Turkey, they will leave,” Erdogan said.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said it was aware of the reports and was seeking clarity from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Erdogan has said previously that he plans to meet U.S. President Joe Biden at a summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Rome this week.

One diplomatic source said de-escalation was possible given Turkey has now made its stance very clear, and given the potential diplomatic fallout from such a move ahead of the G20 summit and the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow starting at the end of the month. (SD-Xinhua)