Assad Accuses Turkey of Contributing to Bloodshed in Syria

Young demonstrators protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Al Kasten, near Idlib,JuneSyrian President Bashar al-Assad has accused neighboring Turkey of supporting "terrorists" and contributing to the bloodshed in Syria.

The Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet quoted Assad as saying Turkey gave logistical support and had a desire to interfere in Syria's internal affairs.

In the remarks published Wednesday, Assad also accused Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of pursuing a sectarian agenda.  Both Turkey and Syria are majority Sunni-Muslim countries, but Assad and much of his ruling party are from the minority Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shi'ite Islam.

The newspaper on Tuesday published the first part of its interview with Assad, in which he said he regrets that his force shot down a Turkish military jet last month.  He insisted the plane was flying in Syrian airspace that had been used by Israeli planes three times.