Turkey initiates a complaint to the WTO on additional US tariffs

Turkey has filed a complaint of violation of disputes with the World Trade Organization against additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Turkey's steel and aluminum imports, the WTO said.

The move was previously highlighted by Turkish officials and passed after President Donald Trump this month said he would double tariffs on Turkish metals imports in the wake of a Turkish lawsuit against a U.S. evangelical Christian pastor.

The North Carolina pastor has lived in Turkey for two decades. He became the unwitting culprit in the diplomatic rift between the two NATO allies. The crisis has intensified turmoil in Turkey's financial markets.

“Turkey has requested WTO consultations with the United States on additional import duties imposed by the United States on steel and aluminum products,” the WTO said on its website.

Within the framework of consultations on disputes, both parties have 60 days to find a solution, then the issue can go to the WTO dispute settlement body. The United States is the largest steel importer in the world. Turkey is the sixth largest steel exporter to the United States.

Criticizing the state of U.S. relations with Ankara, Trump this month authorized a doubling of duties on aluminum and steel imported from Turkey, to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

The pastor, Andrew Brunson, is charged with terrorism, which he denies. Trump, who counts evangelical Christians among his main supporters, is increasingly championing the pastor's cause.

“They should have brought him back a long time ago, and I think Turkey acted very, very badly,” Trump told reporters Friday. "We are not going to tolerate, they cannot take our people."

A Turkish court on Friday rejected an appeal to release Brunson from house arrest, saying evidence was still being collected.