Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country will not be ‘bossed around’ by US President Donald Trump, while commenting on the ongoing diplomatic row between his country and the United States over the arrest of Pastor Andrew Brunson, in Trabzon on Sunday.
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey (Turkish): “We will respond to the one declaring a war of trade to the whole world by aiming at new markets, finding new corporations and allies. Look what is going on in the iron and steel industry: he is raising taxes, adding new ones to the steel goods. We are a member of the World Trade Organisation. There is no such implementation in WTO regulations. There is no such thing as I did it and its done.”
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey (Turkish): “I, as your strategic partner, was there in Somalia, Afghanistan, we were together in Bosnia. In Kabul we guarded the airport. How can you put aside such a strategic partner in favour of terror organisations such as the PYD [Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party] and YPG [Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units]?”
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey (Turkish): “You are attempting to sacrifice your relations with 81 million people for a pastor with ties to terror organisations. So, we will do as law dictates, you cannot simply make Turkey bow down by bossing it around.”