Spokesman for Turkish Foreign Ministry Selcuk Unal responded to U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone’s statements on press freedom in Turkey.

Unal called on Ricciardone to be committed to diplomatic conventions, Anadolu agency reports.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone had earlier stated that it’s not a diet or a cabbage pickle after expressing concern over mass arrests of journalists in Turkey.