Erdoğan says US cannot justify PKK ringleader Öcalan poster in Raqqa

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged the U.S. on Friday to be honest about the unfurling of a large banner of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) ringleader Abdullah Öcalan in the main square of Syria’s Raqqa.

“A terror leader’s poster was hung in Raqqa, how will the U.S. justify this? We do not believe that you support us. If you did, this would not have happened. The U.S. is not honest,” Erdoğan said at the Developing 8 (D-8) summit in Istanbul.

He said that he did not believe the U.S., France, or Germany stood by Turkey in its fight against terror.

A spokesman from the U.S.-led Global Coalition against Daesh said on Friday it “does not approve of the display of divisive symbols and imagery at a time in which we remain focused on the defeat of Daesh in Syria.”

The PKK/PYD also released a video dedicating the triumph of clearing Raqqa of Daesh to Öcalan, who founded the PKK in 1978. The ringleader was jailed for treason in Turkey in 1999.

The U.S. provided wide-ranging support to the PKK and its Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party (PYD) during its advances in Syria. The PYD was among the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to take Raqqa from Daesh earlier this week.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.

“The Developing Eight (D-8) needs to gain more visibility. We cannot leave our future to the mercy of a few actors. We are advocates of an organization in which all countries of the world, regardless of size, have an equal say,” said Erdoğan.

“We are looking for justice in the world. We do not want a world where there are those who say, ‘We are mighty, hence we are right.’ The D-8 is a crucial apparatus in a world where dishonesty and injustice have become systemized,” he added.

The president also said that the D-8 could expand, saying, “We should not be afraid to expand D-8. We can grow to become the D-20.”

Erdoğan stated that the D-8 would engage in projects aimed at the youth. “We will also work on projects that will raise young people who are the guarantees of our future,” he said. A D-8 university is being established in Iran.

“D-8 countries conduct a great deal of trade between each other. When making these purchases, they will be able to purchase goods by using their own currency. No need to involve dollars. D-8 countries will be able to do this for themselves,” Erdoğan said, emphasizing that using national currencies will boost trade and economies.

“D-8 nations are resolved to help Turkey in the fight against terror groups like FETÖ and the PKK,” Erdoğan said, adding that the D-8 member nations were committed to sharing intelligence against terrorist groups.

“There isn’t a single Muslim country that is a member of the UN Security council. Is this justice? The distribution of members among continents must be done fairly,” he said.

The United Nations Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

“We cannot overcome difficulties if we do not place human beings at the center of the solution,” said Erdoğan.