Erdogan: Unilateral actions against Turkey by the US will force Turkey to look for other friends and allies
Erdogan: Unilateral actions against Turkey by the US will force Turkey to look for other friends and allies

Unilateral actions against Turkey by the United States will undermine American interests and force Turkey to look for other friends and allies, – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says in the article published in the New York Times.

“At a time when evil continues to lurk around the world, unilateral actions against Turkey by the United States, our ally of decades, will only serve to undermine American interests and security,” Erdoğan wrote.

“Before it is too late, Washington must give up the misguided notion that our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has alternatives. Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require us to start looking for new friends and allies.”
In his article Erdoğan said that the United States had failed to unequivocally condemn the July 15, 2016 coup attempt or to return the man that Turkey says was behind the attack: Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gülen.

“Another source of frustration relates to the partnership between the United States and the PYD/YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK, an armed group that is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Turkish citizens since 1984 and that is designated a terrorist group by the United States,” Erdoğan said.

“According to estimates by the Turkish authorities, Washington used 5,000 trucks and 2,000 cargo planes to deliver weapons to the PYD/YPG in recent years.”

Turkey’s executive would not allow the United States to force it to intervene in its judicial system and release Pastor Andrew Brunson, Erdoğan emphasized.