JERUSALEM (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is not worried about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's comments on Muslims made during his election campaign.

Erdogan dismissed concerns when asked about Trump's remarks about Muslims on Israel's Channel 2 TV investigative news program "Uvda" aired Monday

The president of majority Muslim Turkey said he phoned Trump the day after he won. "I don't think at all he will adopt such (negative) approach towards Muslims," he said in the rare interview to Israeli media.

Erdogan who survived a coup attempt this summer said "Every country needs a strong leader in order to progress. A country without a strong leader will go down."

Erdogan has been critical of the Obama Administrations' handling of the conflict in Syria.