‘Good foxing,’ Turkish PM says in respond to FOX TV reporter's question on rumors about health

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has responded to media speculation about his health with the comment that Turkey’s FOX TV is “foxing well” on issues concerning his own health condition, in his first public appearance since last week.

“Good foxing. I’m learning about which hospital I stayed at from you,” said Erdoğan, referring to media reports that he stayed in hospital during Eid al-Fitr. Erdoğan coined the term “foxing” instead of “fabricating news” when he learned that the reporter who asked about his health condition was from Turkey’s FOX TV channel.

Speaking at a press conference before departing for Turkmenistan, Erdoğan said he was fine and had rested for a few days after Eid al-Fitr. “This habit of the media is bad. How can they find and make up so many lies?”

Erdoğan also said he was continuing his scheduled program with the one-day working visit to Turkmenistan while noting that he would be in Bursa on Aug. 17.

Turkish pilots are safe

Asked about two Turkish Airlines pilots kidnapped last week in Lebanon, Erdoğan said there were no concerns over their physical conditions and that they were focused on efforts to secure their release as soon as possible.

“Our relevant institutions are working on this issue. But this effort cannot be done publicly. The most important thing is to get a result. And I believe we’ll get this result in the shortest time,” he said.

Message to Gülen community

Another question delivered to Erdoğan was on a rift between the government and the powerful Gülen community that has dominated the political agenda after the latter issued an 11-article statement responding to accusations that the movement was behind the Gezi Park protests. Erdoğan declined to comment on the content of the statement but made clear that he felt unhappy at the community’s decision to continue the discussion through the media.

“I am not in a position to respond to it. But I should make clear that making these statements through the media is wrong. I will not say anything else,” he said.

CHP’s claims

Touching on questions about Republican People’s Party (CHP) claims that Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) kept records on some of its lawmakers, including its deputy leaders, Erdoğan dismissed media reports on the matter.

“We do not keep such records. But in the past, I myself know that records were kept on me. [This happened to my friends, too]. But we have never intended to do so. We have said that we do not approve of such moves,” he said.