What does the controller really want
The cockpit crew was understandably confused as to what the controller wanted, especially when the initial compliance to instructions produced a confusing series of contradictory instructions from the controller.
Even native English speaking pilots can have difficulties when a controller pulls something unusual out of the hat - as I have had in my own country.
We don't know yet if terrain considerations were addressed in the cockpit, but it seems they were concerned about traffic .
It would be interesting to throw random selections of PPRuNers into a sim with the ATC tape and score the damage to the antenna farm along with Snitch alarms.