ISTANBUL, December 3 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Syria has no nuclear weapons.

At a press conference after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, December 3, Putin said he had some doubts about the correctness of the translation of a Turkish journalist’s question.

“Does Syria have nuclear weapons? This is probably an incorrect translation. The translation was: are there guarantees that Syria will not use nuclear weapons?” Putin said with surprise.

“Syria is not a nuclear power and is not even close to possible production of weapons of mass destruction,” the president said.