ANKARA
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has questioned Russia’s interventions in Syria and eastern Ukraine. Addressing a joint press conference with visiting Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in Ankara Wednesday, Erdogan asked: “Who called on Russia to enter [eastern] Ukraine?”.
He also rejected Russia’s intervention in Syria on the pretext that it was made on the call of the Syrian government.
About Russia’s annexation of the autonomous region of Crimea in 2014, Erdogan said: “I want to clearly express that Turkey has not recognized the illegal annexation of Crimea and will not from now on. Russia tramples on international law in Crimea”.
“Where will they [Russia] place this in international law? It is the logic of ‘I am powerful, then [I am] right’. Here, rightfulness is not in question,” he added.
He noted the plight of Crimean Tatars following the annexation, who live under occupation and hard conditions.
“We are supposed to keep [the issue of] violations of rights of all sects facing similar problems in Crimea on international agenda…We will act in cooperation, through steps within diplomacy and law for overcoming the unlawful situation in Crimea.
“We believe the crisis in eastern Ukraine can be solved with just peaceful and diplomatic methods,” he said.
He called on all sides to cease-fire, rid the Ukrainian soil of foreign soldiers and re-establish control at the Ukrainian-Russian border.
