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Biden apologizes to Turkey’s Erdogan Biden apologizes to Turkey’s Erdogan
(35 minutes later)
SANLIURFA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not known as the kind of leader who readily admits mistakes, and Vice President Biden is well known for his capacity to make them.SANLIURFA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not known as the kind of leader who readily admits mistakes, and Vice President Biden is well known for his capacity to make them.
So after Biden claimed that Erdogan had acknowledged fault in enabling the flow of foreign fighters across the Turkish border, it was inevitable that a firestorm would ensue.So after Biden claimed that Erdogan had acknowledged fault in enabling the flow of foreign fighters across the Turkish border, it was inevitable that a firestorm would ensue.
Biden swiftly responded on Saturday to a demand by Erdogan for an apology, saying he regretted the criticism of Turkey and also a suggestion that other American allies had helped facilitate the rise of the extremist Islamic State in Syria. Biden swiftly responded Saturday to a demand by Erdogan for an apology, saying he regretted the criticism of Turkey and also a suggestion that other U.S. allies had helped facilitate the rise of the extremist Islamic State group in Syria.
“The vice president apologized for any implication that Turkey or other allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL or other violent extremists in Syria,” the White House said in a statement, using an acronym for the Islamic State.“The vice president apologized for any implication that Turkey or other allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL or other violent extremists in Syria,” the White House said in a statement, using an acronym for the Islamic State.
There was no immediate response from Erdogan, who in the past frequently has taken umbrage at comments made by U.S. officials. There was no immediate response from Erdogan, who has frequently taken umbrage at comments made by U.S. officials.
But this furor comes at a critical moment in America’s already fraught relationship with NATO ally Turkey. The United States is urgently seeking to convince Turkey to join the international coalition formed to fight the Islamic State. The participation of Turkey, which shares a long border with Iraq and Syria and already hosts U.S. troops, is considered vital. But this furor comes at a critical moment in the United States’ already fraught relationship with NATO ally Turkey. The United States is urgently seeking to persuade Turkey to join the international coalition formed to fight the Islamic State. The participation of Turkey, which shares a long border with Iraq and Syria and already hosts U.S. troops, is considered vital.
But Turkey so far has declined . But Turkey so far has declined.
Erdogan demanded the apology earlier on Saturday after journalists confronted him with Biden’s comments. The vice president had claimed Erdogan had told him in a telephone call that Turkey had been wrong to allow thousands of foreign jihadis to enter Syria. Erdogan demanded the apology earlier Saturday after journalists confronted him with Biden’s comments. The vice president had claimed that Erdogan told him in a telephone call that Turkey had been wrong to allow thousands of foreign jihadists to enter Syria.
“He said, ‘You were right. We let too many people through.’ Now they’re trying to seal their border,” Biden said on Thursday during an address at the Harvard Kennedy School. “He said, ‘You were right. We let too many people through.’ Now they’re trying to seal their border,” Biden said Thursday in an address at the Harvard Kennedy School.
“If Biden said such a thing, he is history to me,” Erdogan said Saturday, adding: “If he really said these words, then he should apologize to us.”“If Biden said such a thing, he is history to me,” Erdogan said Saturday, adding: “If he really said these words, then he should apologize to us.”
Though it was unclear whether Erdogan was more incensed that Biden had accused Turkey of permitting foreign fighters to enter Syria, or by the claim that he acknowledged fault, he denied both. Although it was unclear whether Erdogan was more incensed that Biden had accused Turkey of permitting foreign fighters to enter Syria or by the claim that he acknowledged fault, he denied both.
“I never admitted any mistake, nor did we tell them that they were right,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News.“I never admitted any mistake, nor did we tell them that they were right,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News.
“We absolutely didn’t provide even the smallest amount of support to any terrorist organization, including the Islamic State,” he added. “There might have been people traveling on tourist visas, but no one with arms has ever crossed the Turkish border.”“We absolutely didn’t provide even the smallest amount of support to any terrorist organization, including the Islamic State,” he added. “There might have been people traveling on tourist visas, but no one with arms has ever crossed the Turkish border.”
It is the second time this year that a disputed telephone conversation has disrupted the U.S.-Turkish relationship. In January, Erdogan and Obama stopped speaking after Obama denied a comment Erdogan claimed he had made, promising to take action against a Turkish political foe who lives in the United States. It is the second time this year that a disputed telephone conversation has disrupted the U.S.-Turkish relationship. In January, Erdogan and President Obama stopped speaking after Obama denied a comment Erdogan claimed he had made, promising to take action against a Turkish political foe who lives in the United States.
The two leaders spoke again in September, but their contact has been minimal. Obama left it to Biden to meet with Erdogan when the Turkish president visited New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September, and it is Biden who has been making the telephone calls seeking to coax Erdogan into supporting the coalition.The two leaders spoke again in September, but their contact has been minimal. Obama left it to Biden to meet with Erdogan when the Turkish president visited New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September, and it is Biden who has been making the telephone calls seeking to coax Erdogan into supporting the coalition.
In the comments at Harvard, Biden said he had “a great relationship” with Erdogan. That now seems to be in question.In the comments at Harvard, Biden said he had “a great relationship” with Erdogan. That now seems to be in question.
Biden’s remarks also risked angering other allies who have already signed up for the fight against the Islamic State, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whom he said fueled the rise of the Islamic State. Biden’s remarks also risked angering other allies who have already signed up for the fight against the Islamic State, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who he said fueled the rise of the Islamic State.
“Our allies in the region were our largest problem with Syria,” he said. “The Turks, who are great friends . . . the Saudis, the Emiratis, etc. What were they doing? They were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni-Shia war. What did they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad. “Our allies in the region were our largest problem with Syria,” he said. “The Turks, who are great friends . . . the Saudis, the Emiratis, etc. What were they doing? They were so determined to take down [Syrian President Bashir al-Assad] and essentially have a proxy Sunni-Shia war. What did they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad.
“Except that the people who were being supplied were (Jabhat) al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world,” he added, naming Syria’s al-Qaeda affiliate. “Except that the people who were being supplied were [Jabhat] al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world,” he added, naming Syria’s al-Qaeda affiliate.
Biden said the support had now stopped, and h is apology came before those other allies had gotten round to responding. Biden said the support had now stopped, and his apology came before those other allies had gotten around to responding