Syrian regime buying oil from Daesh, Turkey says

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Syria’s Bashar al-Assad of supporting terrorism in the region.

“The main culprit for today's humanitarian tragedies and acts of terrorism is the Assad regime, which has killed 380,000 of its people,” Erdogan said, adding: “Assad carries out state terrorism.”

Speaking at an energy summit in Istanbul on Thursday, Erdogan said “whoever stands behind this person, they are as guilty as him”.

Turkey’s president also accused the Syrian regime of buying oil from Daesh.

“Now, all terrorist organizations in the region are serving the Assad regime directly or indirectly,” he said, adding: “Daesh is supported by Assad. Assad now is taking Daesh oil and turning it into money. One has to be blind to not see this. It is obvious.”

Turning to the impact of Daesh attacks on the wider Muslim community, Erdogan said those who “degrade Islam and Muslims on account of Daesh are making a big mistake”.

He added: “As a matter of fact, all terrorist organizations that exploit Islam, like al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, are mostly killing Muslims and harming Muslims.”

Such groups had no relation to Islam, Erdogan said.

"We have to know very well that we cannot evaluate any religion over the bad acts of some people. We cannot approach other members of this religion on that basis. Such people might come out from Muslims, Christians and Jews as well," he added.

“The blood of every innocent victim murdered by these organizations is on the hands of those powers behind them.”

Erdogan also said the number of refugees from Syria and Iraq that fled to Turkey has reached 2.5 million, while Turkey has spent some $8.5 billion on supporting refugees, only 280,000 of whom stay in camps.

In Istanbul alone around 500,000 people have taken shelter, Erdogan said.

"Can you imagine the sociological trauma? The trauma of the refugees and the trauma that it causes on our society… Do states have the luxury of saying that Turkey can handle this all alone? We share this world together," Erdogan said, calling on international community.

Delay in Nabucco is on EU

Speaking on integration with the European Union, Erdogan said the EU needs Turkey as the only country that can bring "social and economic dynamism" to the union.

Erdogan also blamed the EU for not realizing the Nabucco pipeline project which is aimed at carrying Iranian and Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe through Turkey.

"It has been six years that we signed on Nabucco. If you do not bring out the money, if you do not supply, this will not work," Erdogan said.

Recalling the Trans Anatolia Pipeline Project, TANAP, with Azerbaijan, Erdogan said they were the first ones to sign up and that Iraq, Turkmenistan and eastern Mediterranean gas sources might be delivered through it.

"There are developments with the eastern Mediterranean, Iraq and Caspian regions that can strengthen Turkey's hand in becoming an energy hub," Erdogan said.