Turkey: Erdogan slams allies for condemning Istanbul's offensive in Syria

*NO CUTAWAYS AT SOURCE*
W/S Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during conference, Istanbul
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): "After our 'Operation Peace Spring' started, we had the opportunity to see where everyone stands inside our country and internationally. Countries that are unaware, went as far as to describe Turkey's legitimate operation as an occupation."
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): "Even though we've been saying this for months, we come across those who threaten us with such subjects like economic sanctions and arms embargoes. Those who think they will turn Turkey back from its path have been mistaken, are mistaken. Before all, I can see that the importance of this topic for our country and our people is still not understood."
SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): "Shortly before, I told [German] Chancellor Merkel, I said: 'Look, your coalition partner in your government, your foreign minister, uses this expression. How can you explain this? Tell me something. Are we allies in NATO or not? Have you accepted the terrorist organisation into NATO and I didn't hear about it? Can there be such a strange approach? Are you on our side or on the terrorist organisation's side?"
SCRIPT
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed Turkey's allies for condemning its military operation in north-eastern Syria, in Istanbul on Sunday.
"Despite the fact that we've been saying this for months, we come across those who threaten us with such subjects like economic sanctions and arms embargoes. Those who think they will turn Turkey back from its path have been mistaken, are mistaken," said Erdogan.
Speaking of German government's decision to ban weapons exports to Turkey, Erdogan said he had asked German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "Are we allies in NATO or not? Have you accepted the terrorist organisation into NATO and I didn't hear about it?"
Erdogan announced the beginning of a military operation, dubbed 'Operation Peace Spring', on October 9 to create a 'safe zone' cleared of US-backed Kurdish groups.