“I would like to state once again that this so-called peace plan is nothing but a dream that threatens regional peace and tranquillity. Turkey will never allow the legitimization of occupation, annexation and destruction.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
President Erdoğan talked to and answered the questions of reporters on his return flight from a visit to Pakistan.
Erdoğan stated that the 6th Meeting of the High Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held during his visit to Pakistan, and that 13 agreements in the fields of defence industry, trade, transportation, tourism, media, diasporas and halal accreditation were signed.
Erdoğan said he elaborated on bilateral relations as well as the fundamental challenges facing the Muslim world in his address to the joint session of the National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan, and added that they discussed ways to further enhance economic relations with the representatives of the business world at the Business Forum.
Erdoğan emphasized the trade volume goal of 5 billion dollars by 2023 and said Turkey-Pakistan strategic economic framework was drafted to this end.
Underlining the progress achieved in the fight against FETO in Pakistan, Erdoğan said: "Maarif Foundation provides education to 12 thousand 500 students. We will resolutely continue our fight against FETO terrorist organization.”
Indicating that regional issues were also addressed during his visit, Erdoğan noted the following:
"We all share common concerns about the issues of Kashmir, Palestine, Syria and Libya. Although they all have specific characteristics, it will not be possible to restore regional and global peace without resolving these crises. It is thus essential that we act with common will. I tell this to all the leaders I meet. We have to solve our own problems on our own without fighting with the world. We observe how external interventions make issues irresolvable. Provided that we succeed in putting the strong bonds of our nations and common will at the centre of our politics, it will then be possible to solve many of the problems."
In answer to the question: "In your address to the Assembly, you put particular emphasis on Jerusalem. You also met with other leaders. As you have just stated, they all give their support. Nevertheless, have you taken any steps to ensure that the Muslim world adopt a common stance against the so-called ‘deal of the century’ plan in the forthcoming period? Are there any developments on this matter?", Erdoğan said: "I would like to state once again that this so-called peace plan is nothing but a dream that threatens regional peace and tranquillity. Turkey will never allow the legitimization of occupation, annexation and destruction.”
Stating that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had an utterly different voice at the UN during Turkey’s term presidency, Erdoğan noted the following:
"There was unity and we were able to reflect this unity at the United Nations. Later, however, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation lost the will to reflect such unity at the United Nations. Despite all of these, we still want the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to speak with a united voice. It is only recently that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation started speaking in a tone that we desire against the so-called ‘deal of the century’. Even the Arab League started speaking up. As you would know, the Arab League was previously insensitive toward this issue. They are currently in a better position. Despite these, however, we will continue to resolutely defend this right. We urge the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to call on all Muslim countries to take a clear stance against the plan. This is not a peace plan. This is a plan for usurping the rights of the Palestinian people. This plan also runs counter to the United Nations resolutions. I can say that the process is currently moving in the direction that we expected. Neither the West nor the EU accepts this plan. Africa is also against it. I believe that we will get favourable results at the United Nations. Yet we will not stop, we will continue to work. We should chase after it so that we can get the results we desire."
Reminding Erdoğan’s remarks that "If they fail to withdraw from the observation posts by the end of February, we will hit regime forces everywhere. We will do this regardless of the Sochi deal if necessary.", it was asked what steps Turkey would take if the regime forces did not withdraw to the targeted point by the end of February. Erdoğan said: "We should say it very clearly. We have the Adana Agreement that is irrefutable. We went there in line with the Adana Agreement. This is an answer to those who say ‘How can you go there, it is Syrian territory’. This is the first dimension of the issue.”
"It is impossible for us to remain silent against their siege"
Indicating that an arrangement was made after Turkey entered the region, Erdoğan said:
"What was this arrangement? Observation posts were established. The Sochi agreement provides the guarantee. Articles 2 and 3 of the Sochi Agreement, and particularly Article 2 is extremely important here. We have taken steps based on Articles 2 and 3. We have seen that the regime forces are starting to besiege these observation posts. It is impossible for us to remain silent against their siege. We are doing what is necessary. The conflicts in Idlib are seriously building up particularly in the recent period. Today (yesterday) a helicopter was downed in Aleppo’s west. These disturb Russia as much as they disturb the regime. Apart from that, they have suffered another serious loss. What really matters, however, is the fact that nearly 1 million people from Idlib are currently moving toward our borders. We are already hosting 3.5-4 million people. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to accept another million. So what should we do? We said let's build briquette shelters along the border 30-32 km inside. There are intensive construction works at the time. I have even talked to Merkel about it. 'By sending 25 million Euros, you could assume a part of the responsibility. We will assume most of it anyway. If you tell other friends like France and the UK, and if any support is provided, we could work hard to make the conditions in the briquette shelters more humane.' This is what I told her. They are sending 25 million Euros to our Red Crescent through the Red Cross. We have started building these briquette shelters without waiting for them."
Asked if only Germany provided financial aid, Erdoğan said:
"Only Germany has pledged so far but we have not received the amount yet. We have received the news that they sent the aid to Red Crescent through the Red Cross. Even if they do not, however, we can pull it off on our own with God’s help. What matters is that they keep referring to the “terrorists there”. Who are these terrorists? They are not PYD or YPG. On the contrary, they are the people, the inhabitants of Syria. These people are struggling to protect their own houses. If there are terrorists among them, we should fight against them the same way that we fight against PYD/YPG. Nevertheless the civilian population is bombarded by jets and helicopters there. Yet they do not utter a word against all of this. They keep insisting on “Khmeimim, Khmeimim...’ They bombed here with the same excuse. As we stand by our brothers here in accordance with both the Adana and Sochi Agreements, there is a migratory movement toward our borders. We are building briquette shelters to prevent this migration."
Reminding that despite the United Nations Security Council’s call for a ceasefire, some countries continued to send assistance to Haftar forces, the following question was asked: "For some time, the Western media has been reporting that Haftar forces will start an offensive to seize Tripoli. In the event of such an operation, what kind of support on the ground would Turkey give to the legitimate government?” In answer to the question, Erdoğan reminded the deal signed with the Sarraj government.
President Erdoğan, "This is a military training and security deal. In line with this agreement, we have recorded in writing that we would stand by the legitimate government. We have trainers and managers there. On Haftar’s side, there is Russian Wagner with nearly 2 thousand 500 staff.”
Russia is currently managing this war at the highest level. There are also around 5 thousand fighters from Sudan. There are those coming from Chad. There are more than 10 thousand soldiers from other countries right now. We will continue to do what is necessary in line with the training and security deal signed with Libya’s Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
It is evident who is supporting Haftar. Egypt, Abu Dhabi administration and similarly the Saudi and France are supporting Haftar. France has recently invited Haftar. We went to Berlin Conference. He did not attend the meeting at the Berlin Conference but waited at the hotel. In Moscow, he did the same thing, he escaped. He left without waiting for that meeting to end when our delegation was there. Despite all of these, the West is still supporting that man. They give weapon, armament and financial support. We are in favour of establishing peace but we want this to be known – Turkey will continue protecting both Turkey and Libya’s legal rights in the Mediterranean until the very end.”
James Jeffrey's Visit to Turkey
Erdoğan was reminded about the US Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey’s reference to the martyrs in Idlib as “our martyrs” and asked, “Do we see the US as an option to neutralize the regime in Syria or is the US that supports PKK doing something behind our back again?”, Erdoğan replied “We have the same concerns you have just expressed. They do not assure us. One day they say something, but the other day they make a much more different statement. So, which one of them shall we believe?"
President Erdoğan commented as follows:
"I talked to Mr. Putin 3-4 days ago. It was a good conversation. The next day, they made a statement. In that statement, they seriously accused Turkey. During my conversation with Putin, there wasn’t anything as such. What is wrong with the others? That means the leader says something whereas the subordinates say another thing. With regards to James Jeffrey, his reference of “our martyrs” is not credible for us. While it is not credible, it sounds as if he gives us credit. It is important for us if Mr. Trump gives us credit rather than Jeffrey. In other words, if Mr Trump gives us credit and takes a resolute stance on that, it will be significant."
Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan replied a question about drilling and exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying that their position on this matter was clear and it did not change.
Highlighting that the most important indicator of that was the agreement signed, Erdoğan shared the following information: “We have bought a third drill ship when we already have two. Now we have 3 drill ships and two seismic exploration ships.”
Indicating that they said, "We can use our own drill ships and seismic exploration ships to start an intensive work here”, President Erdoğan told:
"If needed and we decide that we can work with some people from the international community, it is possible that we cooperate with a company. We talked about this with Sarraj. Surely, it is not easy and has a very very high cost. You can drill once, twice or the third time and find nothing, but later when you find something, you will say “That’s it”. For instance, exploration activities took place in the Black Sea and they did not obtain any results despite investments over 200 million dollars. According to our agreement, we will not pay them. We would be splitting by half if they could have found something. It is not an oil exploration activity alone. The important aspect of this is that you are there both politically and militarily. You are a country, so to say, controlling the area. It is very important in this respect. We will preserve our position there in the forthcoming period. Turkey is a country that has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean. "
President Erdoğan reminded that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had said "Armies, your first target is the Mediterranean, march!”, noting “It means something, we need to focus on that.”
Erdoğan also said, "Our job will be much easier if and when the US improves the situation caused by its policies on the ground,” adding "However, the interesting point is that they invite Haftar. Isn’t this the man who has bombed Libya 11 times? Now, Macron also invites Haftar. Haftar happily goes there. It is not possible to understand them. We need to tell about these to our people as well as the world.”
Countering FETO abroad
When asked about the fight against FETO abroad, Erdoğan reminded that Pakistan handed over the FETO schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation. Erdoğan said, "While the fight against FETO was ongoing abroad, Pakistan really went through an important test and did quite well. Pakistan had seized almost all their assets. Therefore, we owe Pakistan a debt of gratitude.”
President Erdoğan continued as follows:
"Pakistani administration took a serious stand on July 15 and they did the same for Turkish Maarif Foundation. They say, ‘It is not possible for us to make any concessions to them right now.’ Pakistan has already declared FETO a terrorist organization by a constitutional court decision. There are 12 thousand 500 students there. It is a relief for the families of these students too. Maarif Foundation is doing a very good job there."