Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said, “I would like to point out clearly that it is never possible for us to tolerate what is happening in Idlib. Turkey will call the murderers account for killing the sons of our land, just like the terrorists who pointed guns at our heroic soldiers were rooted out. The future place of Bashar Assad, who bestowed hands on our flag, is not the Syrian Presidential Palace, but the International Court of Justice at The Hague.”
The 1st Turkish-Syrian Media Forum under the title of ”Common Vision for a Better Future,” organized by the Harmoon Centre for Contemporary Studies, Syrian TV and the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies (ORSAM), began in Istanbul.
In his inauguration speech of the forum, Fahrettin Altun wished the forum to be prosperous for all. Recalling that the Syrian people took to the streets to demand democracy, independence and a decent life almost 9 years ago, Altun pointed out that Syria, which has hosted ancient civilizations, now has become a country known for the war, massacres, extremism and starvation as a result of its attempts to suppress peaceful protests violently.
Reminding that during the period when democratic social movements in the Middle East and North Africa region spread fear in the hearts of authoritarian regimes, a heavy slaughter began to take place in the south of borders, Altun said ,“Unfortunately, this period of massacre has pioneered a series of anti-democratic and negative developments, notably the coup of 2013 in Egypt.”
Noting that there are three approaches to the Syrian crisis today, Altun stated the following:
“According to the first approach adopted by Turkey, the Syrian crisis is caused by the regime. It is the Assad regime. As a result, it is not possible to establish lasting peace in Syria before the regime is deactivated. According to a second approach, a regime change in Syria is a secondary issue. The advocates of this approach argue that the most important issue is to eliminate the terrorist threat originating from Syria. The source of the problem, according to the third approach, is the Syrian people, who rose up against dictatorship and demanded a humanely life. In fact, the reason behind the failure to bring this crisis to an end is that some actors have moved away from the first approach that Turkey is still advocating. Turkey clearly and unequivocally argues that the Assad regime is the root of the Syrian issue today as well. Since 2011, Syrian regime’s efforts to maintain its illegitimate government have resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, which, in the words of the United Nations, has caused ‘the greatest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War’.”
“We know that the bloody terrorist organization supports the regime”
Altun stated that at least 6 million Syrian citizens had to flee their country during that period to save their lives, adding that millions of people have taken refuge in places they thought were safe.
Noting that the humanitarian crisis in Syria reached the heart of Europe in 2015-2016 and that approximately 1 million people encountered stormy seas and barbed wires while dreaming of building a better life, Altun stated the following:
“Another negative consequence of the Syrian crisis is that the terrorist organizations have settled in our region by taking advantage of the vacuum of authority and as a result of diabolical actors’ intentional and deliberate steps. The lack of international coordination and universal criteria for the fight against terrorism has caused the global power struggle to continue in Syria through terrorist organizations and once again led to the most wicked weapon of the 21st century to be pointed at innocent people. Furthermore, the terrorism threat has acquired a global dimension with the emergence of the DAESH terrorist organization in this period, on the one hand, and on the other, the foreign powers achieved the opportunity to try to redesign our region. Finally, terrorism has turned into an instrument used to threaten both the Syrians and the countries of the region, particularly Turkey. There have been efforts to redesign our region through terrorism and to discipline the countries of the region through terrorism. I would like to point out especially at this point that the terror corridor that was attempted to be established along Turkey’s border by the PKK/YPG has served as a knife stabbed into the legitimate opposition of Syria throughout this process. Large swathes of lands were gifted to the terrorist organization without firing a single bullet. We all know very well how this bloodthirsty terrorist organization that has targeted our citizens for the last 40 years supported the regime at every opportunity.”
“An area of thousands of square kilometers has been cleared from terrorist organizations”
Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun noted that while they, as Republic of Turkey, were fighting terrorism, they also tried to prevent those who try to turn the country into a field of proxy wars under the disguise of combating terrorism.
Stressing that the Republic of Turkey is the first country to have sent its armed forces to fight DAESH and the PKK/PYD-YPG terrorist organizations in Syria, Altun stated that Operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch and Peace Spring, respectively, have been carried out in this regard and that an area of thousands of square kilometers has been cleared from terrorist organizations.
Altun said that such sacrifice and determination not only displayed the uncompromising fight against terrorism and the strategy of rooting out terrorism at its source, but also clearly revealed the approach of the Republic of Turkey towards proxy wars, adding, “We will continue to work hard both on the ground and at the negotiating table, namely, in the diplomatic arena, so as to put an end to these proxy wars in the upcoming period. The Republic of Turkey has closely observed this process along with its state and nation, felt the effects of the Syrian crisis very intensively and stood by the people of Syria and the legitimate opposition of Syria in the last 9 years.”
Altun stated that Turkey has wished its neighbors to live in peace, tranquility and stability and to fully enjoy democracy, freedom and human rights, as required by human dignity, since the first day of the crisis, and added the following:
“This was what we wanted and what our struggle was for and we will continue to fight towards this end. We are the members of a nation that has made great sacrifices and paid substantial prices for democracy. For us, this action is a must. In this respect, our nation’s stance on the Syrian crisis should be regarded as the reflection of a moral stance, not of political accounts or an ideological attitude. Unless it is regarded as such, why this nation and this state approach the Syrian issue in this way and why our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made such an intensive effort to resolve the Syrian issue cannot be understood. The secret of our country’s ability to deal with the Syrian crisis in a consistent framework unlike other actors lies here. The Republic of Turkey has been a constructive actor that operates always on its own behalf and account and exerts efforts for peace and stability in the field of Syria. It has not taken orders from other powers, other actors in the field. As the requirement of neighborhood and fraternity, we have supported and will continue to support the Syrian people, who express their demand for democracy and freedom. At the same time, as a neighbor of Syria, we were affected in the first degree by various threats that have arisen or that have been created on the south of our border, and this crisis is also a threat to our national security in this respect. We have never refrained from taking all the necessary diplomatic, humanitarian and military steps in order to protect our citizens and the people of Syria from these threats.”
“It is never possible for us to tolerate the current developments in Idlib”
Fahrettin Altun said they were acting in line with the understanding that the only element that could bring peace and stability to Syria was the people of Syria themselves and that they were doing what was required by the responsibility and obligation to support legitimate movements as a country bordering Syria.
“We want the same for the children of Syria as we do for ourselves today as well,” Altun said, adding that they always underline the importance of a political solution to achieve this goal. Altun stressed that they unhesitatingly kept open the channels of dialog to every actor to talk and work with in order to end the crisis and to enable neighbors to live in peace, noted that they contributed to and guided many diplomatic efforts, in particular the Geneva and Astana processes.
Stating that the recent developments in the Idlib region clearly reveal the severity of threats faced on the ground, Altun noted the following:
“I would like to point out clearly that it is never possible for us to tolerate what is happening in Idlib. Turkey will call the murderers account for killing the sons of our land, just like the terrorists who pointed guns at our heroic soldiers were rooted out. The future place of Bashar Assad, who bestowed hands on our flag, is not the Syrian Presidential Palace, but the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Unfortunately, today we regretfully observe that some people question what Turkey is doing in the region. Those who claimed in the past that the PKK/PYD-YPG terrorist organization does not pose any threat to Turkey and called on to enter the city center of Afrin which has housed the terrorists are now questioning what Turkey is doing in Syria. This is totally unacceptable. There is no difference between those who prevented counter-terrorism operations in Syria prior to the treacherous coup-attempt of July 15 and those who ask ‘What is Turkey doing in Syria?’ today. The answer to this question they insistently ask is actually very clear: We, as Turkey, are working to maintain our own national security, as well as to invalidate the long-term diabolical besiege plans on the region. We are trying to and we have to prevent a fait accompli in Idlib for the same reason today, just like we have destroyed the terror corridor intended to be established on our border with operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch and Peace Spring. We are in Syria and fighting the same struggle for the same reason as we have opposed to the project aimed at bringing the so-called cantons to our Southeastern provinces and supposedly creating a civil war environment there, and struggled for independence from the inner and outer enclosures of terrorist organizations for the second time. This is a struggle for existence; this is a struggle for survival. This struggle does not only belong to our nation or our people, but the Islamic world.
"Europe’s security starts from Turkey"
Fahrettin Altun stated that they knew that whoever is not involved in the new world order will not be able to be at the table and that the fate of the country and the region cannot be separated.
"No one should ignore the fact that Europe’s security starts from Turkey," Altun said, adding that everybody saw how the arrival of 1 million refugees in Europe has caused a political earthquake.
Stating that more than 3 million people are trapped only in the region of Idlib today, Altun touched on the following:
“If the process that started just beyond our borders cannot be stopped immediately, a new and larger influx of refugees will start and then reach the European capitals by destroying everything on its way. Today, it is a mystery what will be done by Europe, which has failed to pay 6 billion euros that it committed to pay in 2016 and also broke its promise to take in 72 thousand Syrians asylum seekers. I would like to remind you that the only tangible solution to this humanitarian issue that closely concerns Europe was offered by Turkey, which has been hosting over 3.5 million Syrian asylum seekers. As a matter of fact, our President has called on the international community to support the establishment of a safe zone since the first days of the Syrian crisis. We regret to see that this call has never been responded. Afterwards, our President shared our country’s safe zone plan with world leaders and called for their support during the United Nations General Assembly in September. While carrying out Operation Peace Spring, we not only stabbed the terror corridor on our border, but also shouldered responsibility for our safe zone plan. We tried to take the necessary steps to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria within the scope of Operation Peace Spring. As a matter of fact, peace and stability were maintained in a large region including Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn city centers through a cross-border operation against terrorist organizations in the east of the Euphrates River. It will be possible to settle at least 1 million Syrian refugees in the area cleared from terrorists. It is considered that if this region is extended to Raqqa, 3 million people can settle there. Our country’s Safe Zone Plan will ease the pressure created by irregular immigration on Europe, as well as invalidate the Assad regime’s efforts for exiling the people he has been oppressing for years. We are waiting for the support of the international community to ensure that this step could be taken as soon as possible."
"Regime forces killed 556 journalists"
Stating that he finds it really meaningful that the saying “The first casualty when war comes is truth”
goes back to Ancient Greece, Altun said, “In other words, focus should be put on the fact that this saying has not become out of date in the course of thousands of years in which almost everything related to war has changed many times. This saying also clearly shows why journalism is among the most dangerous professions in the world."
Altun underlined that the Syrian crisis was no exception concerning the issue and noted the following:
"According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, at least 682 journalists were killed in the period of March 2011-May 2018. Today, we consider that this number has exceeded 700. The killing of American war correspondent James Foley by the DAESH terrorist organization in 2014 has probably created the most tremendous impact among other journalist murders committed in Syria. This incident reveals the extent of the threats faced by journalists while performing their duties and reveals the true and ugly face of terrorism. On the other hand, when we take a closer look at the data, do you know what we see? Believe me, what we see is very, very striking. The DAESH terrorist organization, which is considered by the international community as the biggest threat to journalists on the ground in Syria, has killed 64 journalists. What about the regime? The regime has killed 556 journalists since the Syrian crisis. We should also talk about this. The international community should also talk about this. Unfortunately, the international community that ignores and turns a blind eye to this reality should reconsider. Where are human rights, where is freedom of the press, where is freedom of expression? Yes, the regime has massacred nearly 600 journalists. From time to time, we have felt some threats to members of the press caused by Syria in our own land as well. Unfortunately, a series of assassinations were carried out against Syrian journalists residing in Turkey. Likewise, some Turkish journalists were abducted and tortured while working in Syria. Finally, Turkish journalists who were following the operation during Operation Peace Spring were opened fire at a point close to the border. A fire was opened knowingly and willfully from the Syrian region to the region in which the journalists were. These attacks are actually an assault not only against journalists, but also the right to know and information entitled to the society and the world.”
Disinformation to citizens is on the agenda
Altun pointed out that the concepts such as disinformation and psychological war which have attracted the attention of only the experts and academics in the past also had become an agenda item of ordinary citizens in recent years. Stating that the entire world has been talking about post-truth, namely, the period following the truth, Altun pointed out that it was seen that not the facts, but the distorted and altered perceptions direct the societies.
Stating that similar process also occurred on the ground in Syrian field and in places where the victims of the Syrian war have taken refuge victims, Altun said that many baseless allegations such as the Syrian asylum seekers without Turkish citizenship were enabled to vote in elections in Turkey and they were put on a salary occasionally spread, and thus caused the public to be misled.
Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun noted the following:
“We are jointly responsible to be alert on such lies, which are disseminated intentionally and which play into the hands of some people, and not to take part in the dissemination of fabricated news. I would especially like to emphasize that the laborers of the press are shouldering a big responsibility and they are also a substantial power, as they take sides with the facts and reality. Especially the members of the press working in Syria serve the cause for justice case by witnessing all the events happening in the name of all humanity. Those who commit war crimes, carry out ethnic cleansing campaigns and recruit children just beyond our borders only aim to silence journalists, and thus to clear their names. Nevertheless, they won’t be able to do that, because these crimes, these crimes against humanity are recorded and the performance put in by journalists, the brave journalists in that period are worth to be applauded. I would like to congratulate them in the presence of you. I would like to point out that we all the time stand by them in every way and we will make every effort to create an environment where they can retain their profession in the best way. We must not forget that the only antidote to fabricated news, defamatory campaigns and reputation assassinations is the truth.”
Stating that the true journalists will continue to be on the side of reality, Altun pointed out that another historical responsibility undertaken by journalists in this critical process was to raise awareness among the international public. Stressing that the Syrian crisis is considered as "stale news" in many countries and that the crimes committed in Syria is no longer brought to agenda, unless substantially painful events occur, Altun said, "In this respect, we see that the members of the press are fulfilling the divine duty of not letting the world forget about Syria, not to make the sufferings in Syria forgotten and not to condemn the Syrian people to loneliness and despair. Finally, we should not forget that especially the real journalists working on the ground are the most powerful weapon of humanity against the perception operations and disinformation campaigns."
"Our doors are always open to Syrian journalists"
Noting that we, as the Directorate of Communications always stand by real journalists who carry out objective, impartial and principled publishing and conform to international standards, Altun stated that their duties, responsibilities and obligations also consisted of protecting the society from disinformation and falsified news.
Altun said that Turkey’s doors were always open to Syrian journalists performing their profession in Turkey and concluded as follows:
“Just as the wars are not won without heroes, a cultural resistance cannot succeed without role models. The journalists, who fight against all difficulties on the ground and strive to reveal the truth at the expense of their lives, are the strongest role models for the people of Syria and for humanity. The arrow is already off the bow in Syria. It is either fancifulness or ignorance to believe that the people who have endured violence, torture, terrorism and hunger for nine years will fall under the rule of an illegitimate government from now on; or there are bad intentions. The only way for our neighbor to regain peace and stability is to create a democratic order that will represent all social segments on the basis of territorial integrity and political unity. The most tangible evidence of the lack of another path to walk or a route to follow is that the crisis right beside us is getting deeper and deeper. Just looking at Idlib would be sufficient. We, as Turkey, will continue to be on the side of the rightful. Even if the world sees no evil, hears no evil, speaks no evil, we will always speak out the truth. Our President has been stressing and will always stress this to all international interlocutors in the strongest terms, on the highest level and in all international platforms.”