Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come out with harsh remarks aimed at US Secretary of State John Kerry for saying it was to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s credit that he is complying with the Russian-US-brokered plan for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons.

Erdogan also stepped up his angry remarks aimed at Assad, with whom he has been exchanging barbs, calling him a “terrorist.” His remarks came after Assad accused Erdogan of being not just a liar but also responsible for the deaths of thousands of Syrians and causing regional instability by supporting terrorism.

Speaking to reporters in Bali during an Oct. 7 joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Kerry said it was “extremely significant” that the Assad regime had started destroying chemical weapons under UN supervision within a week of the Security Council unanimously adopting a resolution.

"I think it's also credit to the Assad regime for complying rapidly, as they are supposed to," said Kerry. "Now, we hope that will continue. I'm not going to vouch today for what happens months down the road, but it's a good beginning, and we should welcome a good beginning."