UK ambassador to Turkey locks horns with MHP head Bahçeli on Twitter over Kirkuk remarks

ISTANBUL

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and U.K. Ambassador to Turkey Richard Moore have traded blows on Twitter, after Bahçeli criticized Britain’s involvement in Middle Eastern politics.

He also raised eyebrows by claiming that Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not fully independent and have been ruled by governors assigned by the United Kingdom.  

“The United States and the United Kingdom must first look at their own business. They should immediately abandon their unfair and unlawful political imaginations and manners,” the MHP head tweeted.

“Does anyone wonder what would happen if someone in a country like Canada, Australia or New Zealand, which are all ruled by governors appointed by the U.K., said ‘enough’?” Bahçeli wrote regarding the situation in the disputed northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk.

In response, Moore posted a tweet containing a link to a website link explaining the term “governor-general.”
“For those in Turkey struggling to accept that Canada, Australia and New Zealand are independent states,” he wrote. 

“You’ve clearly never met a Canadian, Australian or New Zealander. Try telling them their country is not independent!” Moore added.

Following the exchange, Moore retweeted a message from a follower stating “Actually, they know one Canadian: Atiba Hutchinson,” referring to a midfielder currently playing for Beşiktaş.