Erdogan says Putin 'playing with fire'

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned his Russian counterpart against “playing with fire” in supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Speaking on Friday, Erdogan was referring to an earlier remark made by Russian leader Vladimir Putin who had said: "Those who implement double standards in terrorism play with fire".

"Supporting [Assad's] regime that claims 380,000 lives in Syria and implements state terrorism, is also playing with fire," Erdogan said in a speech in Turkey's northeastern Bayburt province.

‘Inappropriate accusations’

Erdogan said hitting Syrian opposition groups who had international legitimacy under the pretext of fighting Daesh was also "playing with fire".

Russia's making “inappropriate accusations” against Turkey and reflecting the issue onto Turkish citizens who attended a fair in Russia was also playing with fire, said Erdogan.

Twenty-six Turkish businessmen were taken into police custody in Russia's Black Sea city of Krasnodar late on Wednesday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

‘State terrorism’

Touching on an accusation from Putin that Turkey was buying oil from the Daesh group, Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart to prove it.

"Turkey is not so dishonorable as to buy oil from a terrorist organization," said the president.

The Turkish president also accused Russia of strengthening its military ties in Syria, using Tuesday’s plane issue as an excuse.

"Russia is there right now. We have said many times: ‘What are you doing there?’ They say the Syrian regime invited them.

“Right now there is an illegitimate state in Syria and murderer Assad that killed 380,000 people. Do you [Russia] have to accept his invitation? You are giving [him] all kinds of support," said Erdogan.

"Is it legitimate to support a man who conducts state terror?" he asked.

Defending the downing of the warplane on Tuesday, Erdogan said Turkey did not destroy it on purpose, saying it was nothing but an automatic reaction to a border breach, an exercise of the rules of engagement.

"Russia is obliged to prove its claims as Turkey did with radar images and sound records, otherwise they will be guilty of a gross and unfair accusation.”

On Tuesday, an unidentified aircraft was warned 10 times within five minutes before it was shot down, according to the Turkish military.

It crashed in the Syrian region of Bayirbucak close to Yayladagi district of Turkey's southern Hatay province. Russian authorities later announced the plane was theirs.

NATO confirmed the accuracy of the radar trace data Turkey shared which clearly showed the Russian violation.

It was not the first time Russian fighter jets had violated Turkish airspace. In early October, Russian warplanes breached Turkish airspace.

Russian officials apologized and pledged that no such incident would be repeated. Turkey had also renewed its warning on engagement rules, including a military response against violations of Turkish airspace.