Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun: “Our efforts at mediation, which the entire world witnessed throughout the Ukrainian crisis, are not coincidental. This is the final link in a long chain of Turkish foreign policy achievements that have gone unnoticed."
In his address at the Conference on the "Regional and Humanitarian Consequences of the War in Ukraine" held at the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, the Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun remarked in reference to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, "Our region and our people are tired of conflicts; they now demand peace, tranquillity, and prosperity. Türkiye will continue to act as a ‘stabilising force’ in the future, as it has done its fair part in the past."
Altun stated that the world is in a period where all countries are feeling the effects of the pandemic, regional political and economic tensions, and hot conflicts in all areas and that they are working together to transform the process into a more positive one and resolve the conflicts in a period where these developments are upsetting all of the world's balances.
Altun said that the war between Ukraine and Russia has become one of the most catastrophic and terrible events in recent history for the entire world, particularly Europe, citing the crises that are causing humanitarian tragedies in many parts of the world, including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, and Arakan, which are yet to be resolved.
Altun noted that “even the smallest problems that are pushed to a stalemate and ignored could lead to major disasters. Even a tiny spark that was not extinguished when it was tiny could grow into a fire that burns everyone,” and the world has once again become aware of a reality that some groups are attempting to ignore since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Altun went on to say that in recent years, there has been an attempt to hide the centre of gravity Türkiye has created in its region, using both media operations and so-called experts, and added:
"From Libya to Karabakh, from Syria to the Eastern Mediterranean, whatever game they sought to play while neglecting Türkiye was instantly undone by itself. The war in Ukraine has put everyone to the test of new geopolitical, geoeconomic, and strategic realities. Türkiye's performance as a regional actor, which plays an essential part in regional security and crisis resolution, was essentially obvious. Despite this, this performance has not received adequate recognition or support. The constructive and stabilising role that Türkiye has played in the region and around the world for the last 20 years has had to be acknowledged in recent months, even by those who deny it."
“We have emerged as a key player in the region”
Reiterating the main principles and parameters regarding the Ukrainian War for those who level unilateral and unjustified criticism at Turkish foreign policy and regional security policies, Altun pointed out, first and foremost, how the geography in which Türkiye is located is the most challenging geography in the world in terms of geopolitics.
Altun emphasised how many of the states with which Türkiye shares sea and land borders have either had border disputes with their neighbours or have been the victims of long-running civil wars over the last 20 years and added:
“This region has seen conflicts that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Millions of people have lost their homes and become refugees in front of the entire world. We've seen attempts to drag our country into these conflicts from time to time. We had to fight the security risks that were likely to spread from the region to Türkiye. Furthermore, many of the countries with which we share land and sea borders have been the target of international sanctions for a variety of reasons. Apart from the physical destruction caused by the wars, the economic and commercial devastation caused by the sanctions left the people of the region facing very serious social problems.
In the face of this spiral of war and destruction, Türkiye has emerged as one of the most important actors striving to solve the problems in the region. In the last 20 years, we have exerted all of our diplomatic and political efforts to address all types of conflicts and crises that have arisen in this region, and we have contributed to the peaceful resolution of these conflicts and disputes. Sometimes we worked alone to end the civil war in Iraq, sometimes with partner countries to resolve the nuclear crisis in Iran, sometimes with regional countries to stop the bloodshed in Syria even slightly, and sometimes with the international community to achieve peace in Libya for this purpose. Türkiye has emerged as a key actor whose mediation and facilitation are required in every conflict in the region.”
"We strongly condemn that civilians have been made into targets"
Stating that, as a result of these experiences, Türkiye has become the most experienced diplomatic actor in the region, Altun said, “There is no other political figure as prominent in peace negotiations as our President.”
Altun stressed that Türkiye’s efforts at mediation, which the entire world witnessed throughout the Ukrainian crisis, are not coincidental and added:
“This is, in fact, the final link in a long chain of achievements of the Turkish foreign policy pursued under the leadership of our President that have gone unnoticed. It is our active role in such crises over the years that resulted in the negotiations in Antalya and then in Istanbul during the Ukrainian war. The fact that we have become an actor trusted by both sides at the same time is the result of the long-term stance we have taken on this crisis. Since the beginning of this crisis, Türkiye's overarching approach has been to prevent it from escalating into a war. Türkiye believes that there is no military solution to such crises, and the current situation is the most important evidence of this. The priority for us is to put an end to violence and secure a ceasefire and peace before civilians are harmed further. We do not approve of the use of innocent civilians in Ukraine as a way of settling scores, and We strongly condemn that civilians have been made into targets. We also see that the punitive effect of the sanctions is insufficient to put an end to the drama on the field. Türkiye believes that diplomatic contacts, dialogue, and negotiations, if used effectively, are instruments that will bring the crisis to an end.”
Noting that “The crisis for Türkiye did not begin on February 24, and Türkiye is almost the only regional actor that has constantly been striving for peace through these instruments since the outbreak of the crisis”, Altun highlighted how diplomacy and negotiating instruments take patience and perseverance, and that they have never given up hope in these instruments in the face of every crisis in the region, and that they would continue to use them to the end of the road.
“The conflicts have turned into a chess game"
Emphasising that they will carry on with their diplomatic efforts tirelessly and relentlessly to bring an end to the war in Ukraine for as long as it takes, Altun went on to say:
“The war in Ukraine, and the failure of the international community to prevent it, have demonstrated the necessity and importance of our other goal, which serves as the foundation of our foreign policy. For many years, our President has warned the international community about the ‘weaknesses of international organisations’. International organisations did not play an active role in Syria, Libya, or other regions where conflicts and wars occurred. Moreover, every conflict that occurred in our region has turned into a chess game between the great powers, unfortunately, each turns into a proxy war. The fact that the United Nations was paralysed by the use of the veto card by permanent members of the Security Council, in particular, caused widespread pessimism on a global scale. Türkiye and our President have been one of the most vocal advocates for the need for these organisations to be reformed so that they can be operational again. During the Ukrainian crisis, we have seen the existing weaknesses of these important organisations once again."
Explaining that the UN Security Council, which is primarily responsible for resolving this crisis, has turned into a stage where only blame games and veto threats follow each other, Altun said, "The most important indicator of this weakness was that the invasion of Ukraine began when the issue of Ukraine was being discussed at the UN Security Council. Following this incident, the world began to discuss this organisation as if it had just learned of the UN Security Council's current state. Of course, this is important to us, but it is a late discussion. This discussion, which Türkiye has been seeking to start at the UN for more than ten years under the leadership of our President, should have taken a global turn far earlier. All global actors should have participated in this discussion, and UN reform should have been implemented by now. Our President pointed out this very problem at the UN General Assembly when he said, ‘The World is Bigger than Five’."
Stating that "The World is Bigger Than Five" was not simply a slogan that questioned the veto rights of these five countries, Altun pointed out that it was a statement that global and regional problems now require different approaches and alternative voices for a "Fairer World".
Recalling that for many years, Türkiye has advocated for these organisations to be made more effective in the face of the war and destruction witnessed in its region, as well as for the voices of different opinions to be heard, Altun stated that everyone now agrees that these organisations have become the focus of problems in their current form.
"Our country has not succumbed to the anti-immigrant waves"
Remarking that the Ukrainian crisis and these conflicts, which turned into a war, can only be prevented through a different institutionalisation, Altun said, "During this phase, a concerted and comprehensive effort to end the war in Ukraine and to make international organisations effective in the face of all wars in our region can begin."
Altun stated that, in the coming period, Türkiye would step up its efforts for the United Nations reform, and the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications would contribute to this process in its respective fields, in collaboration with all of its institutions and organisations.
Reporting that the most important issue for Türkiye regarding the crises in its region is the humanitarian drama and tragedy caused by these crises, Altun remarked:
"Türkiye has made humanitarian aid and intervention in humanitarian crises one of the most important pillars of its foreign policy over the last 20 years. We have reflected the motto "Let the people live so the state will live" in our foreign policy and applied the principle of "Let the people live so that the world will live" to all platforms on which we appear. We have warned the world about the humanitarian tragedies that are unfolding. In doing so, we demonstrated our commitment to being the voice of oppressed societies not only in our own region but around the world. We have also strived to ensure that the voices of the Rohingya Muslims, who faced genocide thousands of kilometres away from us, are heard around the world. Similarly, we have emerged as one of the countries that provides the largest humanitarian assistance to African countries suffering from poverty and hunger. Despite all the carelessness of the countries that use rhetoric about multiculturalism, human rights and diversity, Türkiye has taken the most generous and principled stance on this issue. Our country has not succumbed to the anti-immigrant far-right waves that are spreading from Europe to the rest of the world."
"The lesson taught by Türkiye to Europe"
Recalling that since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Türkiye has also been the best-prepared country for any humanitarian crisis that may arise, Altun said, "The ‘open door’ policy for Ukrainian refugees that Europe demonstrated during this war was only one of the lessons taught by Türkiye to Europe, which has opened its doors to many refugees and asylum-seekers from troubled parts of the world, from Iraq to Syria over the last 20 years."
Pointing out that more than four million refugees have fled the country, while the crisis in Ukraine has only been going on for a month, Altun reported that in order for this open-door policy to be maintained, European societies must be able to demonstrate a common will and bear this burden jointly.
Saying, "Türkiye's experience has shown that dealing with refugees is a process that must be planned for the medium and long term," Altun remarked:
"This process entails providing shelter and assistance to refugees, as well as integrating them into society and resolving the source country's problem. Türkiye considers finding a solution to the refugee problem caused by the war in Ukraine and other ongoing refugee crises a top priority in the international system. Türkiye expresses that it stands ready to cooperate and coordinate with European countries on this issue on every occasion. Finally, I would like to underline one point: Türkiye has fought all the way against prejudice, discrimination, and racism directed at societies during all these crises. On the one hand, in our foreign policy, we are attempting to solve historical problems through the lens of shared pain, while on the other, we are fighting to prevent the emergence of a new hate language. The prevention of wars and conflicts is based on the diplomatic performance of states."
"Institutionalised cooperation is critical"
Highlighting that attempting to punish societies for decisions made by heads of state and government deepens and exacerbates the problems rather than solving them, Altun warned that ethnic hatred and hostility would fuel new conflicts that may arise in the future.
Stating that with each interstate crisis, these nationalist and ethnic fault lines will be reactivated, opening the door to communal attacks and violence, Altun underlined that since the beginning of the Ukrainian war, Türkiye has advocated for resolving the current crisis without causing social unrest and conflict.
Pointing out that all European countries should take a united stance against the discrimination and hate crimes that have recently been observed in some European countries against people of Russian origin, Altun concluded his speech by saying:
"These are the most important principles that will shape Türkiye's position on the Ukrainian War in the coming period. Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye is making and will continue to make every diplomatic effort to achieve a ceasefire first, followed by peace talks. We will surely continue to advocate for the reform of international organisations so that they can play a more active role in such crises. These are problems that no country can solve on its own. Institutionalised international cooperation is imperative and essential. Furthermore, Türkiye will continue to cooperate with Europe in the face of a new refugee influx caused by the war's extension. We will also continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the region. Our region and our people are tired of conflicts; they now demand peace, tranquillity, and prosperity. Türkiye will continue to act as a ‘stabilising force’ in the future, as it has done its fair part in the past. We will continue to use our diplomatic and humanitarian capacities to contribute constructively and realistically to the resolution of crises."