Speaking after the meeting of the Presidential Cabinet, President Erdoğan said: “We have built a Turkey which makes its own decisions, sets its own goals and implements its own projects in political, economic and military areas. We have left behind the most difficult period. Now, it is time to reap what we have sown, see the results of our efforts and enjoy the rewards of our sacrifices.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech following the meeting of the Presidential Cabinet held at the Presidential Complex.
Extending his condolences for those who lost their lives in the flood that hit some of the cities in the Black Sea region, particularly Giresun, President Erdoğan wished a speedy recovery to the wounded and underlined that the state, with all its means and resources, stands by the locals affected by the disaster.
“WE HAVE SHOWN THOSE SEEKING TO OBSTRUCT OUR WORKS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN THAT WE WILL DEFEND OUR RIGHTS”
Stating that Turkey has shown those seeking to obstruct its works in the Eastern Mediterranean that it will defend its rights even by using force when need be, President Erdoğan said: “Besides the jurisdiction areas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, we have also taken action in order to use to the end the means provided to our country by the agreement we signed with Libya. We, as the state with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean, have unhesitatingly done whatever is necessary for our country’s rights and interests. We have included the Black Sea in our area of exploration as well.”
“WE HOPE TO RECEIVE SIMILAR GOOD NEWS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN AS WELL”
“There are strong indications that the reserves spotted herald a much larger resource. More good news will hopefully come. This is not a single well. The number of wells will continue to increase one by one. The high number of these wells for sure boosts our hopes. The gas will effectively be put in the service of our nation about 2023. We hope to receive similar good news from the Mediterranean as well in the period ahead. Our country has now moved to the highest league in energy. A brand new period will start for Turkey, which has already declared its independence in electricity production with domestic and renewable resources, once it reaches a similar level in natural gas and oil as well.”
“EVERY SUCCESS WE ACHIEVE BOOSTS OUR NATION’S SELF-CONFIDENCE”
Drawing attention to ongoing efforts to move Turkey to its rightful league in every area, President Erdoğan noted: “Every success we achieve boosts our nation’s self-confidence and helps it to undertake bigger projects.”
President Erdoğan added: “We have built a Turkey which makes its own decisions, sets its own goals and implements its own projects in political, economic and military areas. We have left behind the most difficult period. Now, it is time to reap what we have sown, see the results of our efforts and enjoy the rewards of our sacrifices.”
“OUR COUNTRY PERFORMS QUITE WELL WITH ITS RESERVES APPROACHING 90 BILLION DOLLARS”
Warning against those who try to target Turkey in economy by means of foreign exchange, inflation and interest rates, President said: “Our country performs quite well with its reserves approaching 90 billion dollars. 45.4 billion dollars of the Central Bank’s current reserves are in foreign exchange and 42.8 billion dollars in gold.”
Emphasizing Turkey’s powerful position in terms of foreign exchange and gold assets, President Erdoğan noted: “Let me reiterate that it is beneath the Black Sea where we have found the biggest reserve. More good news will hopefully come concerning this issue. Turkey will possess one of the largest natural gas reserves of the world very soon as a result of our ongoing efforts in other fields. Every single dime to be generated from this discovery will directly go to works aimed at raising the life quality of our nation.”
“TURKEY WILL ACT IN A MORE DETERMINED MANNER TO DEFEND ITS RIGHTS”
Recalling that the seismic exploration activities conducted by the Oruç Reis vessel has been extended to August 27 through a NAVTEX, President Erdoğan noted: “In response to Turkey’s activities carried out in line with the rules of the International Maritime Organization, Greece has without authorization issued its own NAVTEX in a spoilt manner. Above all, Greece has no right to issue such a NAVTEX in the region. This NAVTEX announcement is a spoilt behavior which has put in jeopardy the coastal and navigational safety of all the ships in the region. With this attitude, which is against international law, goodwill and neighborly relations, Greece has thrown itself into a chaos which it will not be able to come through. From now on, the sole responsibility for any adversity in the region will rest on Greece, and it will be the only country to suffer. I think our Greek neighbors should know as much as we do that those who throw Greece in front of the Turkish navy will never show up in case of any trouble. Turkey will not take even the slightest step back from the activities of the Oruç Reis vessel or the elements of our navy accompanying it. On the contrary, it will act in an even more determined manner to defend its rights in this region. Those who should be concerned from now on and will suffer the consequences are those who will confront us in the region where we have issued a NAVTEX.”
“THE WEST HAS NEVER SEEN US AS ONE OF ITS OWN”
“For nearly 200 years, Turkey has followed a path that has originated and developed in the West such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law but turned into universal values. However, a majority of these values and much more is present in our nation’s history of civilization and culture,” President Erdoğan said.
“Our nation has succeeded in protecting these values to the end despite all the losses and sufferings,” President Erdoğan underlined. “While all the Western societies pursued having colonies, we were sacrificing our own lives for the security and peace of the peoples we saw as our friends and brothers. While human lives were disregarded for oil resources, our nation put life and helping others live first. This virtuous stance does not change the fact that the democratic and economic system, established by the West, has prevailed across the world. Hence we have worked to gradually take our place in this system since the Ottomans. We have made a much sharper and irreversible choice in this path following the proclamation of the Republic. We have made this choice but we have to accept that the West has never approached us with the same intention.”
“No matter what reform we make, what step we take or what values of ours we compromise, the West has never seen us as one of its own,” President Erdoğan underscored. I have personally experienced this fact during the full accession process to the EU. I have always been involved in the talks with the EU. However, we have always been faced with inconsistencies of the EU leaders. They have never been honest. They have never stood by their words. We have said ‘yes’ to all conditions they raised for our countries full membership. We have done and committed to everything they asked for. However, it turns out the EU has never had the intention to make us a full member. Everything raised before us was part of their delaying tactic.”
“THE HYPOCRITICAL ATTITUDE DISPLAYED BY THE EU TOWARDS TURKEY SPELLS THE EU’S OWN END”
Further stressing that the EU has not acted as an alliance of values and principles, President Erdoğan drew attention to the support given to terrorists by some EU countries, and said: “Terrorists, be it from FETO or PKK, enter Greece. Where do they go? To Germany. They are also granted residence permits in Germany. Some others go to France. Some others go to elsewhere and are welcome there. Is this friendship? Unfortunately, they deny all this during our tête-à-têtes. They give support to all kinds of marginal groups and all kinds of deviances. The only thing they do not do is to respect and stand with the people who risk their lives for the independence and future of our country. The hypocritical attitude displayed by the EU towards Turkey spells the EU’s own end. No one in the world sees any longer this union as an alliance of values and principles.”
Noting that Turkey faces similar attitudes from various circles in the U.S. as well, President Erdoğan stated: “This country has left Turkey, which has for long years acted as the most important member of NATO’s eastern flank, alone in its fight against terrorist organizations. This country did not support even Operation Euphrates Shield, which we launched against DAESH in Syria and which today enters its fourth year. Unfortunately, they cleared the way in front of the formation of a terror state. Regarding the formation of this terror state, they piled every kind of weaponry support east of the Euphrates with thousands of trucks. When we talked to them, they denied this. Yet, we have it all. It is in our records; we have intelligence; and much more. What is more, collaborating with the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, they took up a position against our country. This sick mentality, which opted to act with terrorist organizations instead of a democratic state of law, took captive the U.S. politics. This mentality, which turns its head away when our country comes under terrorist organizations’ attacks or waits for the outcomes with excitement when there is a coup attempt in our country and embrace with open arms all the putschists that are defeated, is a disgrace to democracy. What is more painful is the fact that politicians in the U.S. can reveal their fascist plans, intentions and calculations about Turkey without even feeling the need of hiding them.”
Responding to US Presidential Candidate Joe Biden’s remarks, President Erdoğan said: “They do not refrain from saying before the cameras that ‘they are thinking of doing what they could not via a coup in Turkey by supporting the opposition.’ We have a friendship. We have exchanged words, shared tea. How can you say something like that? But they did.”