Turkey backs down on threat to expel foreign ambassadors

President Erdoan de-escalates diplomatic spat after declaring 10 envoys persona non grata'

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoan has backed down from a threat to expel 10 ambassadors - including those from seven Nato allies - over their demands for the release of a prominent pro-democracy activist.

In comments on Monday Erdoan said statements issued earlier in the day by the embassies in question, reaffirming that they will abide by a diplomatic convention not to interfere in a host country's internal affairs, show they have taken a step back from the slander against our country" and they will be more careful now".