President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to journalists and answered questions on the plane after visiting Lefkosa (Nicosia), the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), to commemorate the Cyprus Peace Operation's 50th anniversary.
President Erdoğan's visit to the TRNC to commemorate the 50th anniversary of July 20 Peace and Freedom Day has concluded.
Stating that the unshakable ties between Türkiye and TRNC were once again emphasised on this historic day, President Erdoğan reiterated their support for Turkish Cypriots as the motherland and guarantor state, just as they did 50 years ago.
President Erdoğan said, "I see the picture of unity we have given as the ruling party and the opposition as valuable. It has been recognised that the Cyprus issue is not only ours but the cause of 85 million people. This must be understood once and for all. No one has the power to portray the Turkish Cypriots, the island's constituent inhabitants, as a minority. During our visit today, we emphasised this point explicitly."
Remarking that it is becoming clearer day by day that the two-state model is the only way to resolve the Cyprus issue, Erdoğan noted that Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots made significant sacrifices towards achieving a settlement.
Stating that although Northern Cyprus was the party that said "Yes" to the Annan Plan, unfortunately, it was the Greek Cypriots who were appreciated, President Erdoğan stated that this understanding was no longer viable.
Stating that no progress can be made until the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots, which are their vested rights, are recognised, President Erdoğan said, "Frankly, we do not think it is possible to initiate a new negotiation process without establishing an equation in which both sides sit at the table equally and get up equally. Mr. President Ersin Tatar also stated this clearly in his ceremonial address, leaving no room for doubt."
Recalling that they worked together with the Turkish Cypriots to provide state services properly despite the embargoes, President Erdoğan said that municipalities, state institutions, and businesses supported the Turkish Cypriot people with all their means.
Recalling that the new terminal building of Ercan Airport was put into service last year, President Erdoğan stated that they contributed to the development of TRNC in every field, including housing projects, transport investments, electronic state services, healthcare, defence, and education.
President Erdoğan stated that with the Economic and Financial Cooperation Agreement for 2024, they will launch new projects that will be of great benefit to the Turkish Cypriot people.
Stating that their efforts for the lifting of the unjust isolation that Northern Cyprus is subjected to in the international arena were ongoing, President Erdoğan said that they were making all necessary efforts for Northern Cyprus to take its rightful place within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Organisation of Turkic States. President Erdoğan stated that Tatar's participation in the Summit of Turkic States organised in Shusha was highly meaningful in this respect and that new steps would follow in the future.
President Erdoğan stated that they will crown the gains achieved with the 1974 Peace Operation and consolidated with the declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, with the Turkish Cypriot State recognised all over the world.
"Mitsotakis needs to put the minister in his place"
When asked whether the statements of Minister of Defence of Greece Nikos Dendias are at a level that could freeze Turkish-Greek relations once more, President Erdoğan noted that they have witnessed the efforts of populist figures in Greece to undermine the relations between the two countries with such discourses from time to time.
Stating that Türkiye wishes to advance ties with Greece with a spirit of good neighbourliness, President Erdoğan said, “Of course, this situation does not require us to remain silent in the face of such delusions. As everyone knows well, Türkiye conducted the Cyprus Peace Operation, as the name suggests, for peace, and as a result of this intervention, peace was established. At that time, Türkiye conducted this operation to put a clear and precise end to the genocide initiated by the coup plotters in Cyprus, both in the Greek Cypriot community and in Greece. The operation was carried out within the framework of Türkiye's right of guarantorship granted by international law."
Noting that the Turkish soldiers have a glorious past that does not oppress even its enemy, and never violates the rights of the oppressed, and that they will continue to act with the same understanding today and in the future, President Erdoğan stated that peace prevails in the lands where Turkish soldiers are present, not the culture of occupation.
President Erdoğan went on to say:
“At the last NATO Summit, I spoke with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece. I said, 'On the same day, I will be in Northern Cyprus; I will address the people of Northern Cyprus. I have been informed that you will be in the South and you will address people there. I suppose we will refrain from making any statements that may make each other uncomfortable.' He stated that he shared my perspective. Nevertheless, Minister of Defence of Greece Nikos Dendias, who was unfortunately in a different manner and clearly unaware of our meeting with Mitsotakis, made unpleasing statements. Nothing could be more impudent and indecent than his statement that the Turks are occupiers there. For this reason, Mitsotakis needs to put the minister in his place. There is not much more to be said. What we are required to talk about today has already been brought up. And we continue on our path."
"We are buying a new natural gas carrier"
Upon the questions: "Minister of Public Works and Transportation of the TRNC Erhan Arıklı said, 'Southern Cyprus is attempting to build a naval base off the coast of Larnaca with Greece. There is news that they have reached an agreement with the US and the EU. This have not been denied.' Therefore, he says, it is time to establish a naval base in Northern Cyprus in agreement with Türkiye. Will the establishment of naval and aviation bases be on the agenda in the near future? There have also been news reports that Israel is exploiting Southern Cyprus as its logistics base. Mr Tatar further warned that this would make Cyprus a target for several major terrorist organisations in the Middle East. What initiatives would Türkiye consider taking in this type of unfolding?'' President Erdoğan responded:
''We have been constructing a building for the Presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and a building for the Parliament of Northern Cyprus on the island. I wanted to go see them and check on their current state. Both are becoming gorgeous buildings. Allah willing, it will be completed by mid-November at the latest. When the presidency and parliament buildings are completed, a beautiful masjid will be built next to them to serve. There is probably nothing more vital than these bases. They are building a military base; we are establishing a political presence. We will continue our work in the best possible way. In the meantime, I will have to check back to see how the construction is progressing. As far as I can tell, a genuinely exquisite piece is being built from Cyprus stone. In other words, Türkiye will take the necessary steps when needed and do what needs to be done.
Steps that will never contribute to island peace, will only heighten tensions, and violate international law, should be avoided at all costs. Being complicit in Israel's massacre would serve neither the Greek Cypriots nor Greece. We will also build naval bases and naval structures in the north if necessary. We also border the sea. For example, we are buying a new natural gas carrier, a floating gas production platform vessel, which will be used for gas production in the Sakarya Gas Field. It will arrive in Türkiye in approximately two months. It measures 300 metres long and 58 metres broad. This platform, which will provide enough natural gas for 5 million households, will most likely remain there for 15-20 years. It's like a base. It sets off next week and will arrive in Türkiye. They will understand when they see that base.''
''We are building our own aircraft, and we have launched our own satellite into space''
When asked, ''Türkiye faced embargoes while carrying out the Cyprus Peace Operation. You mentioned at the first or second October 29 reception at the Presidential Complex, 'We shall have responses against those who refuse to provide our aircraft with tyres.' Years have passed. We now have the defence industry. How do you feel about the development unfolding here today?'' President Erdoğan responded, ''We were unable to purchase tyres for our aircraft, but now Petlas is producing them. It's a very important step. And in the heart of Anatolia. From unmanned aerial vehicles to UCAVs, the point we have reached is obvious. ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, and ROKETSAN are now competing with the world in the defence industry. We are very, very happy about this."
President Erdoğan stated that Western countries are placing orders for Türkiye's unmanned aerial vehicles. He did not specify which countries, but the fact that European Union countries are making such demands from Türkiye demonstrates how times have changed.
President Erdoğan continued:
"This also makes us happy. The Red Apple is coming into play. I am sure these will irritate those circles even more. We think that the US election in particular has a decisive role to play in this. We will see what steps can be taken with the outcome of this election, but I think the tide is turning in Türkiye's favour. Due to this, I am at peace. May you also be at peace. ''We are building our own aircraft, and we have launched our own satellite into space'' We will do better; we will go further. What moves us the most is that our young people can now say, 'I can do it,' without becoming frustrated. We have planted very strong seeds; they are sprouting and will flourish in the future."
"Our fight against terrorism will continue until the end"
"For a long time, the Ministry of National Defence has been sharing the operations in northern Iraq under the title 'The lock is closing.' You have also stated from time to time that the PKK presence in northern Iraq will be completely ended. Where are we on this? Do you think this will be concluded this summer?" President Erdoğan responded as follows:
"The fight against terrorism is not a matter of mathematics. You cannot say two times two is four. For example, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Cem Demirkan was wounded in the Operation Claw-Lock zone. He was wounded for 15 days and, unfortunately, became a martyr. We are avenging all of this. They are paying a heavy price and will continue to do so. However, if the fight against terrorism were a matter of mathematics, we would provide an explanation in accordance. Therefore, our fight against terrorism will continue until the end. In the end, hopefully, we will emerge victorious once more. Now the end is near for them. They are being held to account for the suffering they inflicted on the people of this country. We will end the terror issue once and for all. That's why they are running around, seeking support. Whatever they do, it will not be to their advantage. They will eventually face the consequences of the suffering they caused the people of this country. Our soldiers, police, and intelligence officers are on the ground, and they feel their presence behind them. Those caves they cannot even stick their noses out of will not offer them any protection."
In response to being reminded of the ICJ's ruling that Israel is an occupier and its demand for Israel to leave the occupied territories, President Erdoğan replied by stating, "Israel has been ordered to pay compensation by the International Court of Justice. The amount has not been announced yet. Israel has consistently disregarded the rulings of the International Court of Justice. Because they have the support of the West, especially the United States of America."
Emphasizing that Türkiye, along with several other countries, has exerted the necessary pressure and will continue to do so, President Erdoğan said, "Spain's stance was very, very significant here. The positions of Finland and Norway held significant importance. I think we will follow this and pursue it, and I hope that we will finally get a result here. Israel must be stopped. It is our collective responsibility to ensure this."
"I once again invite everyone to stand on the right side of history"
President Erdoğan emphasised that supporting Israel and disregarding the long-standing systematic oppression faced by the Palestinian people will not lead to any progress and continued:
"Israel must be punished for its actions, and this punishment should serve as a strong deterrent against future atrocities. I hope that this ruling and the previous rulings that have not been implemented by Israel will lead to greater awareness in the international community. We must not become accustomed to the suffering of the Palestinians, nor should we accept their predicament as given. We must raise our voice against oppression with each new day. This is our inherent responsibility and our obligation to the past. Every attitude adopted or not adopted today will be recorded in history. "I once again invite everyone to stand on the right side of history"
"It is critical that the US administration end its backing for the murderer Netanyahu"
When asked about the potential impact of the United States presidential elections on Israel's Gaza policies, as well as how to prevent Israel from escalating the conflict across the region, President Erdoğan answered:
"Regarding this issue, Israel continues to follow a similar approach as it did in 1947; with no change observed. The essential point is that those who advocate for justice and fairness and who collectively oppose Israel's actions must unite and guarantee that the International Court of Justice's ruling is upheld and supported by all. Only by adopting such a perspective can we truly disrupt this game. To end this oppression, it is essential for the U.S. administration to pressure Israel and withdraw its support from the murderer Netanyahu and his associates."
President Erdoğan stated that Israel's desire to drag the region into chaos and turn it into a battleground is evident. He said, "Israel is acting out of spite for not being able to achieve its goals despite all the oppression in Gaza. The united and determined stance of the international community is the last thing Israel wants. We must unite against Israel's oppression and force them to comply with international law. In this way, not only Gaza or Palestine but our region, which has turned into a ring of fire, will be saved from being drawn into great conflicts."
"I spoke with Mr. Trump about the assassination attempt against him"
When asked about his meeting with U.S. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump and whether he expects better Türkiye-U.S. relations following the U.S. presidential election, President Erdoğan replied:
"It would not be appropriate to delve into this topic now, as we have very interesting work to do. Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary was our guest. After our meeting, he said, 'We will have dinner with Trump.' Meanwhile, the NATO summit was ongoing. The next day, they started intensely criticising Viktor Orban. They said, 'He said this. We don't agree with what Viktor said; what he said is not right.' Mr. Orban went to Moscow and they criticised him. He went to China, and they criticised him the same way. Then he attended the meeting in Shusha, and they criticised him. Now they are planning how to remove Hungary from the EU presidency What we need to do now is be patient. This patience will help us to act as required when the time arrives. "I spoke with Mr. Trump about the assassination attempt against him" I congratulated him for standing by democracy in the face of this heinous attack. We stand by democracy and support the free will of the people in determining the future of countries."
"We have no problem due to this crisis at the moment"
When asked whether Türkiye is secure amid the recent global software issue, President Erdoğan responded, "We have no problem due to this crisis at the moment. Our colleagues, whether in Turkish Airlines or all other departments, have taken the necessary precautions. At the moment, our operations are continuing with minor disruptions The issues affecting the world do not affect us in the same way. We are in a better position. If additional measures need to be taken, we will take them. Our friends are working tirelessly on this. Just as we leave no area unattended, we are not leaving this area unattended and are swiftly taking the necessary steps without causing any inconvenience to our citizens."