Those who test Turkey's might will be put in their place: Erdoğan

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

HDN Photo by Selahattin Sönmez

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reiterated Turkey’s intention not to back down from any threat, saying those who test the country’s power will be put in their place.
 
“We are a state that ruthlessly fights against any manner of terror organization; we don’t shy away from putting rogue states and those that test Turkey’s greatness in their place,” he said during a ceremony introducing Turkey's first national aircraft, the Hürkuş. 
 
At the same time, Turkey is not a threat to any nation's security, he said.
 
"The Turkish Army is one of the world's strongest armies," Erdoğan said. "We don't mean to attack anyone. We build to preserve the peace, to fight off threats against our safety and our unity."  
 
"Great states have enemies," Erdoğan said. "Those who view these lowly attacks on our ships, planes and our flag as [a sign of our] weakness are those who lack great states."
 
The comments come less than a week after Syria downed a Turkish jet in the eastern Mediterranean, prompting Ankara to warn Damascus of reprisals if Syria violates any of Turkey’s frontiers.
 
The Hürkuş, a pilot trainer plane, will be used to conduct basic pilot training, instrument flying, navigation training, as well as weapons and formation training missions. The aircraft is expected to be exported as a civilian and military flight trainer aircraft.