In an interview with journalists at the Turkevi Centre (Turkish House) in New York at the conclusion of his U.S. visit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, "As the global system loses its ability to solve its problems, the accuracy of our assessment becomes evident."
President Erdoğan stated that their visit to New York to participate in the general negotiations of the 78th United Nations General Assembly was extremely productive and intensive.
President Erdoğan stated that during the visit, in addition to addressing the General Assembly, they made numerous contacts and participated in various events. He added, "On September 17, we met with our Meskhetian Turk brothers and sisters and presented their ID cards to our brothers and sisters who have become citizens. During the Turkish-American National Steering Committee meeting, we had the opportunity to connect with our fellow citizens residing in this country. We had a meeting with representatives from think tanks on September 18 to discuss the current topics on the international agenda and to exchange ideas.
Indicating that they signed the Global Zero Waste Declaration of Goodwill, which grew into a global movement spearheaded by First Lady Emine Erdoğan, President Erdoğan continued as follows:
"On the same day, I delivered a speech at the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit, which was organised with the assistance of the American Chamber of Commerce, and received representatives of the business community. As you are aware, the plenary sessions of this year's General Assembly were conducted with the theme 'Rebuilding Trust and Reigniting Global Solidarity'. During the opening session of the General Assembly on September 19, I emphasised the necessary measures to guarantee a safe and prosperous future for all of humanity. I communicated Türkiye's perspectives on significant international matters that contribute to the preservation of global peace and security.
I emphasised the significance we place on safeguarding the structure of the family, as it is increasingly under attack from global interest groups. This year, we once again emphasised that 'The World is Bigger than Five'. We are pleased to see the growing support for this call on behalf of humanity. Finally, Mr. Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, also expressed the need for reforming the organisation. As the global system continues to struggle to address its issues, the accuracy of this observation becomes increasingly evident."
"During these meetings, we talked about investment prospects in our country and business collaboration"
President Erdoğan reiterated that they had many contacts and meetings during his visit to New York, and added, "We had fruitful and sincere meetings with the Prime Minister Garibashvili of Georgia; founder of SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk; President Tebboune of Algeria; NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg; President Duda of Poland; Prime Minister Meloni of Italy; Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel; Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece; President Ramaphosa of South Africa, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. During these meetings, we talked about investment prospects in our country, business collaboration, and other matters on our schedule."
President Erdoğan stated that the Turkevi Centre, which opened in 2021, also hosted meetings with world leaders this year. He explained that they met with the umbrella organisations of the American Jewish community and evaluated common steps that can be taken in the fight against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
President Erdoğan stated that he gave interviews to American media outlets during his visit and expressed his hope that the meetings and contacts they have established will be auspicious to all of humanity, particularly to our country and our nation.
Referring to the advertisements at Times Square showcasing the vision of the Century of Türkiye and his messages at the United Nations, President Erdoğan said, "It was very well received and widely talked about. It feels like we have experienced the pride of our centennial year here." In response to the question, "Could we begin with an overview and your views on the centennial?" President Erdoğan said:
"I wish I could have seen it too, but I am pleased to hear about it from you. Our Directorate of Communications also made efforts to promote our centennial here. We generated animations showcasing the theme of the Century of Türkiye on LED screens. All those who visited the square saw the advertisements promoting the Century of Türkiye. You would know that trucks with electronic billboards on the back are common on New York's streets. They also displayed advertisements about our centennial. These efforts are critical to bringing our centennial pride to the world's attention. We would have liked to see them, too, but we had a busy schedule of meetings at the Turkevi Centre. Leaders arrived here one after the other. It is also an honour to have Turkevi Centre in such an important location in the US. All the leaders I met with said, 'If only we had a similar venue.'
During our meetings with the leaders, they were also impressed by the charm of the Turkevi Centre, particularly its location and view. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Allah's mercy upon the late Demirel and İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil. Because they were the first ones to think of this endeavour. Then we combined the two by purchasing the adjacent area and we purchased this place. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also contributed to this process, and thus we have a 32- or 33-story Turkevi Centre. Just across from the United Nations building, it's quite rare to come across places like this around here, particularly in the United States. But praise be to Allah, for He has bestowed upon us this place. We are currently holding all of these meetings at this location with great ease. In the past, we used to come here, and if possible, they would offer us a room at the United Nations, where we would try to conduct our meetings in the available rooms. But now we can easily hold these meetings at the Türkevi Centre. We are happy, satisfied and proud. I wish we could have seen the situation in that square."
"This is an issue related to the Armenian marauders in Karabakh"
When reminded that the anti-terrorist operation launched by Azerbaijan against the separatist Armenian forces in Karabakh was completed successfully within 24 hours and asked whether there was an inconsistency between what Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did and implemented, President Erdoğan said that Pashinyan's participation in his oath-taking ceremony was important.
"This recent incident has nothing to do with Pashinyan. Neither is it connected to the Republic of Armenia," President Erdoğan said, and continued:
"This is an issue related to the Armenian marauders in Karabakh. Their attempt to hold a presidential election seriously disturbed both Pashinyan and Azerbaijan. Because Azerbaijan saw this incident as 'igniting an ongoing process'. In the meantime, their attempt to martyr our brothers and sisters took the incident in a completely different direction. Despite receiving multiple warnings, they failed to mend their actions. On the contrary, they continued the process. As a result, Azerbaijan took action and completed its operations there without further delay.
After completing the operation, they told me that they hit about 90 important points, and hitting those 90 points already finished them off. And they said, 'You will give all the tools, equipment, ammunition, and so on.' They started to give them, and they also received promises to withdraw from the necessary locations, so they initiated their withdrawal. Our Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler held meetings, and today I held meetings with my brother Ilham. He expressed gratitude for my speech at the United Nations General Assembly and said, 'They will likely never set foot there again. We have wrapped up the job. There is no problem,' he said, and that was the end of it.”
"Inshallah, if he (Elon Musk) comes to İzmir, the Teknofest in İzmir will attract a large number of our young people"
Reminded of the very important meetings he had in New York, one of the most remarkable of which was with Elon Musk, President Erdoğan was asked about his assessment of this meeting. He responded as follows:
"We spoke with Musk about both Tesla's investment in Türkiye and joint space initiatives. Inshallah, they will collaborate with our colleagues. I invited him to TEKNOFEST in İzmir. He will most likely attend TEKNOFEST in İzmir. He was accompanied by his general manager, whom he gave instructions, emphasising Ephesus in particular. "I heard the praise of İzmir and I will try to participate in İzmir TEKNOFEST," Musk said. Our colleagues will also be in contact with him. Inshallah, if he comes to İzmir, the TEKNOFEST in İzmir will attract a large number of young people.
He explained that he followed Türkiye's UAVs and UCAVs and found them successful. He is aware of the successes our country has achieved in the field of technology in recent years. This will be the driving force for him to direct his investments to Türkiye. The entire world, not just Musk, now recognises our accomplishments in these areas. Each move from our UAVs Akıncı, fighter jet Kaan, Kızılelma UCAV, ATAK attack helicopter, and Hürkuş is closely followed and make an overwhelming impression. We are pleased to see how our actions are being closely followed, not only by those in the defence industry but also by the people of the countries. At the TEKNOFEST held in Azerbaijan, we witnessed how well-known our domestic and national technologies are and how they make our nation proud.”
He was reminded that the books he gifted to Musk during his visit were one of the trending topics on social media and asked whether they had a discussion about the books. President Erdoğan responded:
"We gave him four books as a gift. He could only fit two of our books under his arm. He also had two of our other books in his hands: "A Fairer World is Possible" and "UN Reform: A New Approach to International Cooperation." As you know, in our book "A Fairer World is Possible", I set out with the philosophy of "The World is Bigger than Five" and emphasised that it is not right to leave the fate of humanity at the mercy of only five countries on issues that will shape the future of the world. In our book "UN Reform: A New Approach to International Cooperation", we explain why we want UN reform in light of concrete reasons and suggestions. We are confident that the international community will recognise the significance of every observation and recommendation we made in these books. Because we are sincere in all our proposals and actions."
Upon the question, "Your speech at the United Nations General Assembly was truly remarkable. What do you think about the attention this speech received by the world's media and the repercussions on social media?", President Erdoğan replied, "We did our homework. Instead of just sitting around, we made the necessary preparations before coming here. Which topics will we focus on? We focused on these issues. When I met with the leaders, they all said: 'So you have not left anything out,' and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia said, "I will continue this on Friday."
Stating that the world has many problems and that there are issues that need to be addressed, President Erdoğan said:
"About these issues, for instance, I wish I could have listened to Brazilian President Lula's speech, which was also appreciated, but I was unable to do so. The United Nations General Assembly is an important event this year that should draw attention in the changing global climate. In this regard, our messages as Türkiye are important. We need to achieve that too. If we were able to accomplish this and share our messages with the world on this matter, we would be pleased."
Stating that they told the facts and truth and defended the rightful from every podium, President Erdoğan said that they formed every sentence they uttered at the UN General Assembly based on the direction shown by the nation.
President Erdoğan said, "We never hesitated to move towards the objective they indicated. The interest on social media is also not surprising for us. We have always felt the support of our nation, and we have strived to reciprocate this support in every way possible. Our struggle continues."
"Attracting foreign investment to our country is one of the most important pillars of our programme"
President Erdoğan responded as follows to the question, "When can we expect to see a significant decline in inflation following the announcement of the Medium-Term Programme, and what is your prediction on this issue?"
"I believe we will begin to see positive inflationary developments in the first quarter of next year. Inshallah, we will see its results in the first quarter of next year. Right now, there are favourable signs. Both Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Treasury and Finance, and my colleagues at the Treasury, as well as Hafize Gaye Erkan, the Governor of the Central Bank, anticipate that we will see positive results in the first quarter of next year. And we have faith and trust in them. Following the announcement of the Medium-Term Programme, there was increased interest in the Turkish economy at the G20 meeting. We are pleased to see that this interest is growing in the United States. What is this about? It reflects confidence in the Turkish economy. It demonstrates that our government's goals are achievable and that no one doubts Türkiye's ability to meet them."
President Erdoğan stated that the Medium-Term Programme has several pillars and said:
"One of the main goals of our program is to combat high inflation, which is a global issue. How will we achieve this? We will strengthen our economy's resilience to all types of storms through fiscal discipline and structural reforms. We have done this before, and we will do it again. Attracting foreign investment to our country is one of the most important pillars of our programme. The mere preparation and announcement of the programme piqued the interest of foreign investors. With this wind at our backs, we will move quickly towards our objectives."
"We intend to maintain good relations with Russia"
On the question, "One of the prominent messages you delivered at the UN General Assembly was that Türkiye prevented global hunger through the grain initiative. How did your meeting with Putin in Sochi before the G20 go, and how did that reflect in the United Nations margin?" President Erdoğan said the following:
"Both leaders and prime ministers have a negative attitude towards Putin. Of course, we do not share or reflect the same attitude. I do not approve of this attitude either. Because Russia is not an ordinary country. Russia has a place in terms of both its surface area and its global position. As a result, Russia is one of the world's leading producers of grain. You cannot ignore a country like this. Thanks to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, 33 million tonnes of grain could be shipped from Ukraine. As a result of our persistence, he will now send one million tonnes. We believe there is an opportunity to increase this by maintaining a firm grip on it. He said, 'Let's include Qatar in this; let's turn this grain into flour by including Qatar. But instead of sending it to Europe, let us send it to African countries in need for free.' We are currently working on this. We will discuss this issue with Qatar and proceed in this manner.
We will maintain good relations with Russia. Because the issue of Thrace becoming a natural gas hub is very important to us. We currently get nearly half of our natural gas from Russia. So, if it needs to be increased, we can do so. It provides us with that opportunity. Europe is suffering from a severe natural gas shortage. So far, we have not experienced any shortage of natural gas in the industry and so on. Now winter is coming. Inshallah, we will not have such a problem."
"It will grow into a major power centre"
President Erdoğan also stated that they intend to convert one of the buildings in the Istanbul Finance Centre in Ataşehir into an energy market centre and said:
"However, the plan calls for it to be more than a natural gas coordination centre. It will be a shipping point for natural gas, electric energy, and minerals; in other words, we will transform the İstanbul Finance Centre in Ataşehir into a market similar to those in London or Hamburg. That place will grow into a major power centre for us. So, is it still possible that the grain corridor will be reopened at this point? I am hopeful. We will discuss these with Mr. Putin. I hope that we will increase this gradually.
"We will begin running energy transmission lines from Türkiye to Europe"
Upon the question, "Did the issue of energy cooperation come up during your meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel? What messages did you give in regard to the Israel-Palestine issue's resolution? He was scheduled to visit Türkiye, but he fell ill. I wonder if the schedule has been set?" President Erdoğan said:
"We spoke; as you mentioned, he was unable to come at that time due to illness; however, I told him, 'First you make this visit, and then I will visit Israel with my team.' So we agreed. Hopefully, we will take this step without too much delay, primarily on energy, and we will start energy drilling operations with Israel. We will start operating energy transmission lines not only to Türkiye but also from Türkiye to Europe."
President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye had a total trade volume of 9.5 billion dollars and that they reached an agreement to increase this total trade volume from 9.5 billion dollars to at least 15 billion dollars in the first stage.
"We will take this step too. At the same time, we had the opportunity to discuss and talk about what we can do together in international politics," said President Erdoğan, noting that energy cooperation, in particular, could allow Türkiye to achieve remarkable progress.
President Erdoğan said, "We spoke about our potential in this regard. We explained the benefits of establishing a mechanism involving our relevant ministers to increase cooperation between the two countries in various fields. It is possible for the two countries to work together to establish new collaborations in areas such as energy, tourism, and technology."
"Reflections in all of these fields will increase Türkiye's power in the world."
Upon the question, "You addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the 13th time. You resolutely state that 'the structure of the United Nations must change, particularly the Security Council.' Do you think there will be concrete developments on this issue in the short and medium term?" President Erdoğan stated that it was not possible to get quick results from the steps taken internationally.
President Erdoğan said, "But we believe this. There is a saying that goes, "Repetition is best, even if it takes 180 times." and this is what we must do. We must continue without losing hope. Because as we keep repeating this, we observe that its resonance in the world is rising. This is partly due to Türkiye's power. The stronger we become, and the more we find strength in every field, the greater the response to this call will be. That is why Türkiye's power is crucial. Your pens and the screens are important. The reflections on all mediums will increase Türkiye's power in the world. And with these reflections, I think this call will increase its resonance even more."
Stating that the global system built in accordance with the global atmosphere of the Second World War has now clearly demonstrated its inadequacy, President Erdoğan emphasised that the United Nations Security Council is a platform where showdowns are discussed, not peace.
Pointing out that this was dangerous for world peace, President Erdoğan said:
"If the United Nations cannot make the reforms we propose and bring itself into line with the spirit of the times, it cannot fulfil its peacekeeping mission. The Russia-Ukraine war is the most concrete example of this. The United Nations system is rendered ineffective when UNSC members become actors of war. In fact, we recognised the indications of this many years ago and communicated our message, 'the world is bigger than five' to the whole world. It is important that many actors, including the UN Secretary-General and the US President, are now voicing the inadequacy of the global system."
President Erdoğan explained that the reform of the global system is an issue that must be handled seriously, adding that the urgent establishment of a system that generates peace, security, stability, and prosperity for the entire world is crucial for the preservation of world peace.
President Erdoğan stated that an international system that is inclusive and embraces all humanity would be the key to eradicating the human tragedies brought on by conflicts, climate crises, and migration throughout many regions today, adding, "If otherwise, the United Nations system will become a source of deadlock, not a source of resolution, and this will deepen the chaos in the world. The adoption of our argument that 'a fairer world is possible' by different segments of society can be the first step towards meeting this need. We reiterate our call to action and continue to say at every corner, "The world is bigger than five."
A press member asked, "The Ministry of Labour often states that certain regulations will be made regarding the status of retirees. When will these regulations and amendments be finalised?" President Erdoğan said in response:
"It won't take long. Meaning, as soon as possible. My responsible minister is already working on it. When we return, we will all gather and ask him, "What stage are you in, what have you done, and what are you working on?" He will provide us with these details. By 2024, though, I hope we will have settled on a course of action. While addressing the chronic problems of the economy, we endeavour to protect our workers, civil servants, and retirees from inflation. We have taken steps in this regard. We also know the problems of our retirees. As we take measures to enhance the standard of living of all segments of society, we will take actions to improve theirs as well. Undoubtedly, our retirees, along with the rest of society, will be included in the welfare promotion that will result from the success of the Medium-Term Programme we are implementing. As we have done in the past, we are going to keep working towards providing our retirees with the standard of living they deserve.
"The perpetrators of the attacks against our tourists will be punished before the law"
The following question was posed to President Erdoğan: "There has been an atmosphere in Türkiye for some time now that has not been seen even in European countries where the extreme right and racist movements are prominent. Arab tourists are being targeted. Even Arabic direction signs are exposed to it. What is your take on this?" He responded:
"We cannot possibly be in the same situation. I insist that the language used on signs and plates must include one that tourists can understand. Such a practice is ideal, especially in touristic destinations. We cannot follow the main opposition's path. Racism and Islamophobia are, unfortunately, two of the world's most pressing issues. Tragically, the rapidly spreading virus of racism in European countries that promote themselves as the cradles of civilisation has grown into a global pandemic. This has an impact on our country as well."
President Erdoğan stated that circles seeking to spread xenophobia in the West have been successful in certain places and that there are also members of such circles in Türkiye, adding:
But they ought to know that it will not find favour in Türkiye. No matter how many snakes they let out of the bag or what tricks they pull, the kindheartedness of the Turkish people will engulf them. As Türkiye is a state of law, the perpetrators of the heinous, violent attacks on our tourists will be punished before the law. Our security forces are vigilant against such provocations and are increasing their measures every day. There are attempts to give the impression that isolated incidents fueled by marginalised groups are carried out and backed by society as a whole. Anyone familiar with Turkish people is aware that such incidents have not and will not find a foothold in Türkiye. Provocateurs must realise that sooner or later they will pay for their actions."
"Mitsotakis' strategy aligns with our objective, which is to diffuse the tense atmosphere"
In response to the question, "You had a meeting with Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece. He had highlighted a new dialogue at the Thessaloniki Forum before his arrival. What did you discuss? Which messages did you convey?" President Erdoğan said:
"Our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will hold talks with the Greek Foreign Minister on the issue. Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç, my Chief Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security, will collaborate with his counterpart. Mitsotakis' strategy aligns with our objective, which is to diffuse the tense atmosphere in the Aegean. But the most important step for us right now will be the summit in Thessaloniki, Allah willing. Currently, the summit in Thessaloniki will be a significant step forward between Türkiye and Greece. Our Foreign Ministers will make preliminary preparations, and this summit will be held in Thessaloniki, hopefully on December 7. With this summit, we will, inshallah, be able to observe that a great deal has changed on both sides.
Both countries have recently been tested by natural disasters. These adverse circumstances brought our nations closer together in terms of cooperation. The recent increase in high-level contacts has also contributed to the current positive atmosphere. I hope that our consultative contacts after the Thessaloniki Summit in the coming period will make the process even more productive. In both Türkiye and Greece, we must avoid actions and statements that undermine the environment of trust. Together, we must take action in this area for the upcoming process to proceed smoothly."
"Recognition of the TRNC is the only step towards resolving the issue"
In response to the question, "You called for the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus at the United Nations General Assembly. Your call resonated; what will be the road map for the upcoming process?" President Erdoğan said:
"Our stance on the Cyprus issue has been clear for quite some time. It is now evident that the federation formulas are unrealistic and will not function. Denying this reality is nothing more than imposing a deadlock on the Island. We strived to find a two-state, fair, and permanent solution in Cyprus. We called on our interlocutors to ensure this. We also called on the international community. Recognition of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus as an independent state is the only and most effective step towards resolving the Cyprus issue. We do not recognise any other options. We are committed to preserving the rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus until the end, under the right to act as guarantors accorded to us by international law. We expect that the path opened through the TRNC's membership as an observer state in the Organisation of Turkic States will be followed. The recognition of TRNC as an independent state by one nation after another contributes to peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. The effective steps to be taken towards the full protection of the TRNC's rights and its integration into the international system constitute our next road map."
"The greatest disappointment is that the response from the Islamic world fell short of our expectations"
President Erdoğan responded as follows when the attacks on the sanctities of Muslims were brought up and asked about the repercussions of his call at the UN General Assembly to "strengthen our united front against Islamophobia, racism, and hate crimes."
"There are countries that give positive answers, but unfortunately, there are countries that remain silent. So we cannot say 'full support is given.' The current global population is approximately 6.5-7 billion people. When we look at our 2-2.5 billion Muslim population, we see that the Islamic world fails to show any sensitivity. You see the same thing: extremist movements are somehow developing in India. Now, what is the stance of the Islamic world in the face of all this? What is its position? Let's turn to our own country. What is the situation in our own country? First and foremost, we must maintain an assertive stand so that it can spread in waves and encourage Muslims to adopt a significantly different stance. During this visit, we warned our interlocutors about the danger of paving the way for attacks on sanctities under the guise of freedom of expression. We explained that this is not freedom of expression but rather actions that threaten social and global peace by promoting hate speech. The greatest disappointment is that the response from the Islamic world to these despicable acts fell short of our expectations. Türkiye will continue to respond to these attacks in the strongest manner. Not only the Islamic world but the international community as a whole must speak out against attacks on the sanctities. Unless this occurs, the sanctities of other religions will be vulnerable to attacks. When other religions are attacked, we will object in the same way we do now.