Russia says it has proof Turkey involved in Islamic State oil trade
MOSCOW | BY MARIA TSVETKOVA AND LIDIA KELLY
Fellow pilots, acting as pall bearers, carry the coffin holding the body of Oleg Peshkov, a Russian pilot of the downed SU-24 jet, during a funeral ceremony in Lipetsk, Russia, December 2, 2015. Peshkov was awarded the Hero of Russia award posthumously.
REUTERS/MAXIM ZMEYEV
Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday it had proof that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his family were benefiting from the illegal smuggling of oil from Islamic State-held territory in Syria and Iraq.
Moscow and Ankara have been locked in a war of words since last week when a Turkish air force jet shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian-Russian border, the most serious incident between Russia and a NATO state in half a century.
In a briefing in Moscow, defence ministry officials displayed satellite images which they said showed columns of tanker trucks loading with oil at installations controlled by Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and then crossing the border into neighbouring Turkey.
The officials did not specify what direct evidence they had of the involvement of Erdogan and his family, an allegation that the Turkish president has vehemently denied.
"Turkey is the main consumer of the oil stolen from its rightful owners, Syria and Iraq. According to information we've received, the senior political leadership of the country - President Erdogan and his family - are involved in this criminal business," said Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov.
"Maybe I'm being too blunt, but one can only entrust control over this thieving business to one's closest associates."
"In the West, no one has asked questions about the fact that the Turkish president's son heads one of the biggest energy companies, or that his son has been appointed energy minister. What a marvellous family business!"
"The cynicism of the Turkish leadership knows no limits. Look what they're doing. They went into someone else's country, they are robbing it without compunction," Antonov said.
The ministry also alleged that the same criminal networks which were smuggling oil from Islamic State-held areas into Turkey were also supplying weapons, equipment and training to the militant group.
Officials said that the Russian air force's bombing campaign had made a significant dent in Islamic State's ability to produce, refine and sell oil.
Erdogan last week denied that Turkey procures oil from anything but legitimate sources. He has said Ankara is taking active steps to prevent smuggling of fuel, and he challenged anyone who accused his government of collaborating with Islamic State to prove their allegations.
(Additional reporting by Alexander Winning; Writing by
Christian Lowe; Editing by Andrew Osborn and
Giles Elgood)
Russia says it has proof Turkey involved in Islamic State oil trade| Reuters
Syria conflict: Russia accuses Erdogan of trading oil with IS
Image copyrightAP
Image captionMr Erdogan has threatened to resign if claims of buying IS oil are proven
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Russia's defence ministry has accused the family of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being directly involved in the trade of petroleum with the Islamic State group.
Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said Turkey was the biggest buyer of "stolen" oil from Syria and Iraq.
Mr Erdogan has
promised to resign if the smuggling claims are substantiated.
Russia and Turkey have been locked in an angry dispute since Turkey shot down a Russian jet last month.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already accused Ankara of downing the plane on its Syrian border to protect oil supply lines.
"According to available information, the highest level of the political leadership of the country, President Erdogan and his family, are involved in this criminal business," Mr Antonov told journalists in Moscow.
"The Turkish leadership has demonstrated extreme cynicism. Look at what they are doing!" he said.
"They have invaded the territory of another country and are brazenly plundering it."
Russian 'evidence'
The defence ministry cited satellite images that it said showed oil tankers travelling from IS-held territory to Turkey.
The trucks, it said, travelled to three locations - including refineries - in Turkey and some was then moved on to a third country.
Russia said it was producing only "part of the evidence" for now and did not provide direct proof of their claim that Mr Erdogan and family were involved.
Oil in IS-held territory
On Monday, Mr Erdogan challenged the Russian president to produce evidence to back up the claim - and said he would resign if it was found to be true.
"As soon as such a claim is proved, the nobility of our nation requires [me] to do this," he said. "I will not remain in this post. But I am asking Mr Putin, would you remain?"
US officials
have previously said they have information suggesting Turkish "middlemen" were involved in the illegal IS oil trade.
The Turkish authorities have made commitments to tackle smuggling on their territory.
Despite the tensions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he is prepared to meet Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at a conference in the Serbian capital Belgrade this week.
Mr Lavrov said he was willing to "hear what Mr Cavusoglu has to say", in comments broadcast on the Rossiya 24 news channel.
It would be the first time the men have met since the downing of the jet.
Turkey said the Russian SU-24 fighter plane intruded into its airspace and ignored repeated warnings to leave.
The two sides have
important economic ties, and in the wake of the incident Moscow imposed visa requirements for Turkish visitors, and placed restrictions on trade with Ankara.
Syria conflict: Russia accuses Erdogan of trading oil with IS - BBC News
