Turkey denounces Biden for advocating interference in internal affairs

Turkey has condemned interventionist comments that US Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden had made in a video released in December, accusing him of meddling the country's internal affairs. 

Biden's comments to New York Times editors resurfaced in a video that made him the most popular topic on Twitter in Turkey, where Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has governed for 17 years and has good relations with US President Donald Trump.

In the video, the former US vice president said that "we should be doing is taking a very different approach to Erdogan now, making it clear that we support opposition leadership." 

Washington should embolden Turkish opposition leaders "to be able to take on and defeat Erdogan. Not by a coup, not by a coup, but by the electoral process," Biden added. 

His last remarks was seen as a reference to the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey by the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation – whose leader lives exile in the US, despite years of Turkish requests to extradite him.

READ MORE: Will the US extradite FETO leader Fetullah Gulen to Turkey?

Biden's comments "reflect games towards Turkey"

In response, Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said the comments "reflect games and an interventionist approach towards Turkey" and are inconsistent with current diplomatic relations.

"Nobody can attack our nation's will and democracy or question the legitimacy of our President, who was elected by popular vote," Altun said on Twitter, noting the failed coup in Turkey in 2016.

Our country will continue our national struggle under the leadership of our president" he added.

Turkey will not allow its democratic politics to be disturbed by such "irresponsible" statements, Altun said.

"On top of all this, it’s sad (though not surprising) that the opposition politicians in our country have yet to denounce these remarks that raise questions in the minds of our people and are insulting to the Turkish nation’s democratic will and sovereignty," said Altun.

"We believe that these unbecoming statements which have no place in diplomacy by a presidential candidate from our NATO ally, the United States, are unacceptable to the current administration too," he added.

There was no immediate response from the Biden campaign.

In the US presidential race, Biden is currently leading in most polls, but the November 3 election is still months away.

READ MORE: What if the July 15 coup attempt had succeeded?