TURKEY

Biden apologizes to Turkish President Erdogan

Joe Biden called Turkish President Erdogan to apologize for saying that Turkey had allowed foreign fighters to cross into Syria. Erdogan earlier said Biden "will be history for me" if he had indeed made such comments.

"[Vice President Joe Biden] apologized for any implication that Turkey or other allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL (IS) or other violent extremists in Syria," the White House said on Saturday.

Biden's office added that the vice president "made clear that the United States greatly values" the efforts Turkey has made in combating IS, and "affirmed the importance" of the two countries working together in that conflict.

Controversial remarks

Erdogan earlier had demanded an apology on Saturday from Biden, for allegedly claiming Turkey had made mistakes and allowed foreign fighters to cross into Syria.

Biden, "will be history for me if he has indeed used such expressions," Erdogan said.

The US vice president made the comments while speaking at Harvard University. Biden said Erdogan had told him, "you were right. We let too many people through," referring to foreign fighters allegedly crossing into Syria from Turkey.

Erdogan disputed ever saying as much to Biden.

"I have never said to him that we had made a mistake, never. If he did say this at Harvard then he has to apologize to us," the Turkish president said.

"Foreign fighters have never entered Syria from our country. They may come to our country as tourists and cross into Syria, but no one can say that they cross in with their arms," Erdogan said.

He added that Turkey had prevented 6,000 suspected jihadists from entering Turkey and had deported 1,000 more.

Fueling the conflict

Biden described Erdogan as "and old friend," but criticized Turkey and Arab nations for arming and financing Sunni militant groups in Syria.

"Our allies in the region were our biggest problem in Syria," Biden said.

"What did they do?" the vice president asked referring to Turkey and Arab countries supportive of Syrian rebels. "They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad - except that the people who were being supplied were al-Nusra and al Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world," Biden said.

The diplomatic row comes as "Islamic State" (IS) militants continue to lay siege to the town of Kobani on the Turkish border. Turkey is expected to define the role it will play in the fight against IS in the near future.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said his country will, "do whatever we can so that Kobani does not fall."

bw/dr (AP, AFP)  dw de