With regard to rescue of 49 Mosul Consulate hostages, President Erdoğan said "this is a victory of diplomacy and political bargain", Turkish TV channel TRT reported.
Ahead of his departure for New York Sunday afternoon to attend the 69th UN General Assembly meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan replied the questions of news people after a press brief he made at Ankara Esenboga Airport.
When asked about claims that Turkey bargained with the ISIL to rescue the Mosul Consulate hostages, President Erdogan said that a financial bargain with the ISIL is totally out of question.
President Erdogan added, "The (rescue) operation was a move which displayed deft and skillfulness of our own intelligence organization as well as showing that Turkey should be taken into account when the region is considered."
Erdogan underlined that reunion of the 49 citizens with their countries was the top priority of the operation.
Stressing that a detailed meeting with US President Barack Obama at the UN is unlikely, the President said, "after all, there is no such meeting format at the UN General Assembly."
However, he noted that US Vice President Joe Biden has requested a meeting, and a wide-scope meeting is possible with Mr. Biden on the sidelines of the UN meeting.