Ankara summoned - today, Thursday - the ambassadors of 9 Western countries, against the background of warnings it issued of the existence of security threats in Turkey, at the same time, the Norwegian police decided to ban a demonstration this week that included the burning of the Qur’an.

Diplomatic sources told Anadolu Agency that the Foreign Ministry summoned ambassadors, including those of countries that suspended the work of their consulates, claiming the threat of terrorist acts in Turkey.

The consulates of several foreign countries in Turkey decided to suspend the work of their employees, under the pretext of the existence of a threat of terrorist acts in the country.

For its part, the French Press Agency quoted a source who asked not to be named, that the nine countries concerned are the United States, France, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and Sweden.

At least 6 countries, including France, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands, have announced in recent days the temporary suspension of the services of their consular offices in Istanbul.

Since Friday, several Western embassies have called on their nationals in Turkey to be "vigilant" in the face of the dangers of retaliatory attacks over the burning of the Qur'an in northern European countries, according to those countries.

The United States and France, in particular, recommended avoiding certain tourist areas in central Istanbul, such as Taksim Square and the vicinity of Christian and Jewish churches.

Today, Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soilo accused those countries of waging a "psychological war" against Turkey that could harm its tourism sector and "seeking to destabilize it," while a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party described the Western warnings as "irresponsible."

Prohibition of a demonstration to burn the Qur’an

On the other hand, the Norwegian police decided today to ban an anti-Islam demonstration that was planned to include the burning of the Qur’an this week, saying that the ban was for security reasons, hours after the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador to hand him a complaint.

Police said that a group of protesters planned to burn the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Oslo on Friday, in a repeat of two similar demonstrations last month in Sweden and Denmark, which led to widespread Islamic protests.

Oslo police said - in a statement, quoting intelligence information it had received - "The police confirm that burning the Qur'an is a legitimate political expression in Norway, but this event (demonstration) cannot move forward due to security concerns."