Turkey: Erdogan rejects constraints on nuclear capabilities

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says it is unacceptable for states with nuclear arms to tell Turkey that it cannot have missiles with nuclear warheads.

In comments late Wednesday to his ruling party’s officials in the eastern city of Sivas, Erdogan also criticized Israel, saying its nuclear weapons are a threat to other nations.

State-run Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying: “Some nations have missiles with nuclear warheads — not just one or two. But (they say) I should not have missiles with nuclear warheads. I don’t accept this.”

He did not say whether Turkey intends to acquire any nuclear warheads, but he stated that “almost all” developed nations had them.

On Israel, he said: “We have Israel nearby, don’t we? They scare (other nations) with these.”