Erdogan Reports 'Positive Developments' in Turkish Banker Case in the U.S.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that positive developments have occurred in the case of a Turkish state bank in the U.S. and expressed hope that it would ultimately reach a positive conclusion. Early on Friday, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the New York District Attorney's office has withdrawn its request for an extended prison sentence for Hakan Atilla, a senior executive of Halkbank, who was convicted of helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions. The Turkish banker was sentenced to 32 months in prison for violating Iran sanctions. A senior official from the New York District Attorney's office stated on Thursday evening that Hakan Atilla would remain in prison for 32 months and not for a longer period. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York rejected the request for a longer sentence for Hakan Atilla, the deputy general manager of Halkbank. Mr. Atilla was sentenced in May 2018 for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, which has strained relations between Ankara and Washington. He is currently incarcerated in a federal prison in Pennsylvania and is set to be released on July 25, 2019. Erdogan has strongly criticized Atilla's conviction, describing it as a politically motivated act. Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated after talks with U.S. officials in Washington that the two sides discussed Atilla's return to Turkey and the continuation of his prison term there. Erdogan also mentioned last month that the Halkbank case was raised in negotiations with Donald Trump, and discussions in this regard are on a positive track. He stated that Trump promised him that he would 'quickly relay the necessary orders to the relevant authorities.' The U.S. and Turkey, both NATO members, have differences in other areas, including the Syrian civil war and U.S. cooperation with Kurdish forces in Turkey, as well as the residency of Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara considers the mastermind behind the failed coup in 2016. Another individual mentioned in the Halkbank case is Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish businessman. Zarrab is accused of illegally transferring billions of dollars in currency and gold for the Iranian government. He has confessed to his crimes, provided information to U.S. authorities, and testified as a witness in Atilla's case in court.