Ankara, Nov 26 () - Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey had no reason to target Russia, underlining the “strong relationship” between the two country, while reiterating the Russian military plane’s shot down by Turkey’s F-16s was “within the rules of engagement announced previously”.
“The nationality of the plane was unknown at the time of the incident. We do not have any reason to target Russia with whom we have strong relations” Erdoğan said.
President Erdoğan disclaimed Russia’s statements that Turkey has been buying oil from the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq.
“The ones who claim that we buy oil this way from Daesh [Arabic acronym for IS] are obliged to attest their claims” he said.
“Daesh sells the oil they drill to [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad. To Assad” Erdoğan said, in response to Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev, stressing Russia was supporting the Assad regime.
