President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered journalists' questions and commented on the recent developments on his return flight from Algeria.
Stating that they successfully completed the Second Meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council between Türkiye and Algeria held in Algeria, President Erdoğan emphasised their mutual will to improve cooperation with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria.
Recalling that he and Tebboune signed resolutions at the inaugural Council meeting held in Ankara in 2022 that reflected their mutual understanding, Erdoğan proceeded as follows:
"We subsequently welcomed Mr Tebboune back to Türkiye in July last year. We discussed the present condition of our bilateral relations and the joint actions that we intend to undertake in the near future during our meeting today. Thirteen agreements and a joint statement, which were reached during our meeting, have once more exemplified our resolve to strengthen our collaboration. We renamed our council the "High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council" with the inclusion of the word "strategic" in the joint declaration that my brother Tebboune and I signed. Beyond elevating our relations to a new level, this decision has also come to represent the extent to which they have progressed.
During our visit, we also attended the Business Forum, which was organised with the participation of more than 50 companies. I am confident that the forum, which facilitates the formation of new business partnerships among our business people, will aid in the realisation of our trade volume objective of 10 billion dollars.
President Erdoğan stated that their ties with Algeria are firmly established in the energy sector, particularly in the trade of liquefied natural gas. He further stated, "Algeria will remain a dependable partner in terms of our energy supply in the foreseeable future." The current agreement between Sonatrach and BOTAŞ concerning natural gas is an embodiment of this understanding. A central theme of our bilateral discussions pertained to the defence industry. We recognise that opportunities for cooperation with Algeria in the field of defence are extensive. We hope to evaluate this through collaborative projects."
"We condemn the massacres in the occupied Palestinian territories"
President Erdoğan stated that he and Algerian President Tebboune also deliberated on regional and international matters, with particular emphasis on the atrocities occurring in Gaza. He further stated, "On behalf of both countries, we condemn the massacres that have occurred in the occupied Palestinian territories since October 7. During our discussion, we explored potential steps to halt the massacres and guarantee unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance.
President Erdoğan stated that Algeria is one of the most ardent and steadfast supporters of the Palestinian cause, adding, "It reacted to the massacres in Gaza at the highest level. Türkiye has a clear stance and attitude regarding this matter. We will maintain close contact and cooperation with Algeria to end the atrocities against our Palestinian brothers and sisters and to bring peace and stability to the region. I wish for all the meetings we held in Algeria to be auspicious."
Upon the question, which recalled the statement "We will have control of Gaza in the next period in terms of security," made by Israel regarding its plan to invade Gaza and added, "Following this, a transition period established by the USA through various mechanisms and then the transfer of Gaza to a revitalised Palestinian administration is being discussed. Germany has put forth ideas such as 'Gaza under the control of the UN.' What is the political stance and disposition of Türkiye in this process?" President Erdoğan stated the following:
"First and foremost, it is imperative that everyone acknowledge that Gaza unequivocally belongs to the Palestinian people. Despite the gradual encroachment of Israeli occupation on the ancient homeland of the Palestinians since 1947, it is imperative to express the hope that Gaza, as an integral part of Palestinian territory, will continue to be recognised and respected as such. Israel's gradual occupation of Palestinian territories can be likened to a calculated and forceful acquisition, resembling a smash-and-grab manoeuvre. This, however, is no longer the case. It is evident that the global community is increasingly adopting a stance towards Israel. Despite the occupation in Gaza causing the governments of certain nations to remain silent, it has managed to galvanise the collective consciousness of various societies, praise be to Allah. Increasing numbers of individuals are taking to the streets in support of Palestine. Take Germany, for instance. On the day of my last visit, there were marches in Berlin. The same is true for the United Kingdom. You have witnessed what occurred in front of the White House in the United States. You witness the current events in France and various Latin American nations."
President Erdoğan stated that social conscience has now taken action and that even Israeli streets have gotten more active, adding that everyone is shouting "go away" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Pointing out that "Some foreign country officials say, 'We have to get rid of him'," President Erdoğan remarked that he does not believe this process will progress further.
President Erdoğan said, "Inshallah, Netanyahu will soon pack his bags and leave. As you know, Netenyahu has a dispute to be settled in court. Perhaps he did this to get out of it. But no matter whatever path he chooses, he will not be spared. As you are aware, even Israelis detained in Palestine have come to the point of saying, 'You condemned us here; end this immediately. Let us be saved'."
"Western society failed the Holocaust test"
Upon the question of a journalist who stated that hundreds of thousands of people all over the world are protesting both Israel and their own country's stance, and said, "You, in your capacity as President of the Republic of Türkiye, are a leader in this cause. What message would you like to convey to all the nations residing on these streets, including those of Jewish descent, even if they constitute a minority?" President Erdoğan stated the following:
"In my opinion, it is important to consider the human aspect when addressing this issue. We should avoid categorising individuals based on their religious beliefs (Muslims, Christians, Jews) or any specific ethnic background. Humanity is currently wailing. They are the ones on the correct side of history. We have been debating for days how Western society failed the Holocaust test and ended up on the wrong side of history. The massacres in Bosnia and Kosovo went unnoticed and unreported. Again, there was shameful silence in Iraq and Syria. This is not the case now. As you are aware, the governments of the countries were behaving as usual, but the people are now saying, "Enough of all this oppression!" They are outraged when they see babies being killed in Gaza. The voice echoing from the streets is a cry of conscience."
President Erdoğan stated that Israel is facing growing pressure from the public and said, "Politicians who turn a deaf ear to the voices of the public will face the democratic reactions of their own citizens. Leaders who, in the eyes of their people, have become supporters of genocide due to their pro-Israel stance should promptly rectify this error."
President Erdoğan stressed the importance of governments supporting Israel to take a position in line with international law, human rights, conscience, and moral values before it becomes too late. He underscored that these countries should not be complicit in these crimes and went on to say,
"As a result, we must stand with the oppressed and protect them from the oppressors' actions. I believe that Hamas has exhibited or will exhibit any harmful actions towards the civilians under its control. Israel detains a large number of Palestinians. Hamas is now trying to rescue them. As you are aware, there is currently a new development in progress as Qatar gets involved. I believe they will begin exchanging hostages today or tomorrow."
A member of the press asked the following questions: "Egypt's stance is vital in facilitating the passage of more wounded individuals and aid through the Rafah Border Gate. Do you have any plans to visit Egypt soon, and will you be taking any action regarding the situation at the Rafah Border Gate? What steps will be taken to break the blockade? In response to the question, President Erdoğan stated that the Egyptian administration has made positive progress at the Rafah Border Gate.
President Erdoğan recalled that 40 cancer patients from Gaza were brought to Türkiye in the first stage and shared the following information:
"This number increased significantly in the second stage, and we brought 88 patients and 67 companions. We are treating them in our city hospitals, and we will continue to do so. We hope to see a rise in the number of patients from Gaza being transported to our country. I can organise a trip to Egypt as soon as possible. These issues will be the primary focus of our agenda in Egypt. How can we prepare and facilitate the evacuation of patients? What actions should we take? We want to get all of these patients here as soon as possible. In fact, my intention is to bring those who require a surgical procedure as soon as possible. Let us bring the children as soon as possible and give them medical attention. We have reached an agreement with our colleagues on this issue, and we hope to carry out the process in this manner."
"We must break the blockade in people's minds"
"Breaking the blockade will be possible with the steps that will be taken and the strategies that will be developed by all of the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, not just one or two," President Erdoğan said, adding:
"The 'team game approach' that is often used in politics needs to be fully displayed. Breaking the blockade requires more than just providing some aid to Gaza. We must use economic, political, diplomatic, sociological, cultural, economic, political, diplomatic, sociological and cultural means to achieve a ceasefire, deliver enough aid to Gaza and rebuild the city that has been razed to the ground by Israel."
President Erdoğan pointed out that the blockade is not only about the troops and weapons Israel has gathered around Gaza and said, "We must force Israel to abide by international law and account for its actions. For example, we must also break the blockade at the United Nations. We must tell what is happening in Palestine—the Israeli oppression there—and we must ensure that those who have not heard the voice of the oppressed people of Palestine and what they have gone through for decades do hear their voices. We must change the perspectives of the public and break the blockade in people's minds. We must destroy the fascist viewpoint that states, 'It is not an issue if a Muslim dies; it is only a problem if a Christian or a Jew dies.' We must turn this concept into one that states, "If it's a person who dies, then that's a problem," making it dominant and thus breaking the blockade in minds. We must destroy all the blockades of Zionists and their supporters that have taken away Palestine's historical borders, the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, their right to property, their right to life, their freedoms, and all blockades that have blindfolded the world. Only in this way is it possible to achieve lasting peace."
"The Muslim world should not remain silent in the face of this occupation."
When asked, "Is there any country that disappoints you in this regard?" with a reminder that both some Western and some Muslim countries remained silent in the face of the massacres, President Erdoğan responded:
"Unfortunately, except for one country in the West, there is no one who addresses this issue. Almost all European countries have remained silent about this issue. They have no initiative to stop this massacre. Only Spain's approach is in a positive direction. As you are aware, a new government has been formed in Spain. I will also have a meeting next week with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain. He holds a different stance. We should not turn our backs on such countries. We will meet, and we will also discuss 'how we bring others to the side of Palestine'. Our most recent visit was to Germany. We are aware of the developments. The Muslim world should not remain silent in the face of this occupation. The fall of Gaza means a major blow to the unity and solidarity of the Muslim world. It is a shame to remain silent and unresponsive in the face of Israel's reckless occupation of Gaza and its attacks without recognising international law, human rights, and ethical values."
"Israel's occupier terrorism is a crime against humanity"
President Erdoğan said, "The Islamic world must act in a spirit of unity and solidarity and become one fist to stand behind the determination displayed in Riyadh and to implement the decisions taken. When that fist hits the table with all its strength, it will not be possible for Israel to continue its occupation or to continue its atrocities," and added:
"The most important point here is to become one fist. Israel's state and occupier terrorism in Gaza and other Palestinian cities is a crime against humanity, genocide. It is impossible to remain silent and unresponsive to this. The last time the seed of resurrection in the Islamic world fell on the ground was in Riyadh. If that seed is not watered enough, it cannot grow. We will give that lifeline support together and fulfil our responsibility towards our martyrs and ancestors in Palestine. We are working tirelessly to ensure this. We remain hopeful that we will get results. I hope that our pain is the labour pain of the peace that has been long desired in our region and also the labour pain of the Palestinian state that will bring it."
"I do not think that investors will turn their backs on Türkiye"
President Erdoğan stated that the number of Jewish people who do not support Israel's massacres and stand against them is not small, and continued his remarks:
"Among them are also those that fall within the definition of the said international capital. I think investment in Türkiye will not be a problem for them. The owners of the capital, who are uncomfortable with Türkiye's opposition to the killing of children and its advocacy of peace and human rights, will only be satisfied with you if you unconditionally support Israel's massacre. It is unthinkable for us to take such an attitude. Therefore, we are not worried. The world is aware of Türkiye's value, and so are global investors. Apart from a few marginal ones, I do not think that global investors will turn their backs on a country like Türkiye because of Israel's influence. In order to attract global capital to our country, we will continue to act with the win-win principle and to display a humanitarian stance befitting Türkiye."
Recalling that the maiden flight of the domestic and national aircraft KAAN will take place in about 35 days, President Erdoğan responded to a question about what kind of a period is expected in the defence industry in terms of manufacturing and exports:
"Every step we take in the defence industry excites us. Every individual who lays another stone in this field makes a very significant contribution to the future of our country and the construction of the Century of Türkiye. KAAN is already one of the innovations. But Baykar's work, which we can call the pinnacle, is known as KIZILELMA... They are currently conducting the final tests of KIZILELMA. They must surmount the obstacle of developing their own indigenous engine... When they accomplish this, the global standing of the KIZILELMA Fighter UAV will be reshaped. Naturally, ASELSAN has a part in this as well: camera production. In any case, it is unfortunately likely that the engine manufacturing process will require five years. Meanwhile, we will have to continue importing the engines."
Furthermore, President Erdoğan noted that ASELSAN has started production on the cameras and highlighted how urgently this issue needs to be handled.
President Erdoğan clarified that some nations had not kept their promises, saying, "To see if we may achieve results, we are looking into countries like South Africa and Canada. We need to keep a close watch on this, as does ASELSAN. Our unmanned fighter jets can be put into operation more rapidly if we receive results from these countries in a timely fashion. With Allah willing, KAAN, KIZILELMA, TCG Anadolu, and a host of others will not be the only ones; rather, new, improved, and better-equipped ones will continue to be shaped at the hands of our brothers and sisters who utilise their bodies and minds to toil and labour for their homeland."
President Erdoğan went on to emphasise that there had been no unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), smart munitions, or Patrol and Antisubmarine Warfare Ships (MILGEMs), a few years ago, adding:
"We rolled up our sleeves and made it to this point in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who put down not only their hands but also their bodies in the service of our country. We did not and cannot consider this sufficient. We will perpetually seek to find out which is superior and more advanced. In pursuit of these goals, we must run, not walk. We must have the greatest engineers, programmers, craftspeople, and designers. We have upcoming fresh initiatives. We will establish a name for ourselves in the defence industry and other sectors, so have no fear."
"The Turkish lira is highly likely to appreciate in value"
Addressing the question, "In this global economic climate rife with crises, how do you feel about the positive decoupling of the Turkish lira?" President Erdoğan said:
"The Turkish lira is highly likely to increase in value in real terms as a result of the disinflation programme we have been implementing. Put otherwise, the Turkish lira's depreciation phase has ended. In brief, the Turkish lira is highly likely to appreciate in value." Consequently, the implementation of sound policies and structural reforms will inspire investor confidence in the foreseeable future; in fact, we are already experiencing an increase in such confidence. The influx of funds will be stimulated by this confidence. The influx of funds will cause a real appreciation in the lira. This will expedite the deflation process and reduce growth-related downside risks. Under these circumstances, inflation will eventually decline, and we will expand at a reasonable rate in the end.