"We are happy to see that the aerial operations on Yemen by Saudi Arabia have ended. Military goals appear to have been reached," Erdogan told a joint press conference with Iraqi President Fuad Masum. "We will continue to be on Yemen's side, whether in humanitarian or in other ways."
Turkey would like to buy natural gas from Iraq and negotiations over the issue are still ongoing, President Tayyip Erdogan said,"Our need for natural gas is constantly growing. Efforts to buy natural gas are continuing with Iraq."
During the press conference Erdogan also said he did not wish for or expect U.S. President Barack Obama to use the word "genocide" in reference to the mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915 during World War One.
"I would not want Obama to use the word 'genocide' and I would not expect such a thing," Erdogan said.
Erdogan launched one of his strongest attacks yet against ISIS jihadis, saying the group was a "virus" working to destroy the Muslim community.
Ankara has been repeatedly criticised in recent months for not doing enough to halt the advance of IS to its borders, but Erdogan said after meeting Iraqi President Fuad Masum that the group had to be confronted.
The ISIS group "is an important virus that is working to divide and destroy the ummah", Erdogan told reporters in televised comments, using the term for the community of Muslims.
He said other groups had followed the same path but that IS had proved more adept and serious in using its resources.
"An international strategy is essential to drain this swamp. Even if Daesh is destroyed something will emerge under a different name," said Erdogan, using a pejorative Arabic acronym to refer to ISIS.
"Where do its weapons and financing come from? We need to focus on this," Erdogan said.
Turkey had itself been accused of aiding IS in the early stages of its existence as a useful ally in the fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Erdogan wants to see ousted. But Ankara has vehemently denied the charges. Add Comments>>
