Foreign Ministry slams Trump adviser for anti-Turkey remarks

The Foreign Ministry levied harsh criticism at U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster for accusing Turkey in a speech of supporting radical terrorists.

Issuing a written statement yesterday, the Foreign Ministry said McMaster's statements were received with sadness in Ankara. "Claims unrelated to reality by National Security Adviser McMaster, who should be in a position where he must know best how our country is struggling in all its dimensions with terrorism and radicalism, are astonishing, unfounded, and unacceptable," the written statement said.

McMaster had said at a press conference that Turkey and Qatar allegedly support radical ideologies. "It is clear that the radical Islamic ideology is a great threat to all civilized people," McMaster said, adding that Turkey and Qatar stand out as the main supporters of this ideology. "This support is given more by Qatar and Turkey nowadays," he contended.

McMaster also blamed the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for driving Turkey apart from the West. "By acting in civil society, they gathered the whole power within one party, which unfortunately is a problem that drifts Turkey away from the West."

The Foreign Ministry also called on the United States to provide Turkey more concrete and effective help in the fight against terrorist groups such as the PKK's Syrian affiliate People's Protection Units (YPG), with which Washington has been collaborating in the alleged fight against Daesh in Syria.

"We expect the U.S., which we continue to see as a friend and ally, to demonstrate the same approach to our country and give more concrete and effective support to the struggle against terrorism and radicalism by ending the support to terrorist groups such as the YPG under whatever name they may be in accordance with our traditional alliance relations and international legitimacy," the statement said.