UPDATE 1-Lira steady after Bolton says Turkey made 'big mistake' over pastor

The under-pressure lira held steady against the dollar on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Turkey had made a "big mistake" in not freeing a U.S. pastor held on terrorism charges.

The lira stood at 6.0550 at 0800 GMT in holiday-thinned trade, compared with a close of 6.0600 on Tuesday.

It has lost 37 percent of its value this year in a currency crisis triggered by concern over President Tayyip Erdogan's influence over monetary policy and exacerbated by the dispute with Washington.

Trade was thinner than usual and probably mainly offshore after Turkish markets closed at midday on Monday for a week's holiday to mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton told Reuters during a visit to Israel that Ankara "made a big mistake in not releasing Pastor (Andrew) Brunson".

"Every day that goes by that mistake continues, this crisis could be over instantly if they did the right thing as a NATO ally, part of the West, and release (him)... without condition," he said.

Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for two decades, has been detained for 21 months on terrorism charges, which he denies, and is now under house arrest.

Last week a court in Turkey's Izmir province rejected an appeal to release him, saying evidence was still being collected and the pastor posed a flight risk, according to a copy of the court ruling seen by Reuters.

In an interview with Reuters on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would give Turkey no concessions in return for the release of Brunson. Ankara has not responded to Trump's comments.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)