President Erdoğan addresses journalists’ questions on return flight from Hungary

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to journalists and answered their questions on his return flight to Türkiye after attending the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

President Erdoğan stated that his engagements at the summit hosted by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary were beneficial and fruitful, remarking, "For the first time, a summit of the Organisation of Turkic States was held in an observer country. I extend my gratitude to Prime Minister Orbán for his outstanding hospitality and successful organisation."

Recalling that the inaugural summit of the Organisation, formerly known as the Turkic Council, was held in Kazakhstan in October 2011, President Erdoğan noted that the Organisation of Turkic States, with its five full member states and four observer states, has enhanced efficiency and visibility by the day.

President Erdoğan emphasised that the organisation has evolved into an institution that contributes to regional and international peace and stability by reducing tensions, mediating disputes, and preventing conflicts in a global climate that fails to ensure stability. He added, "We are delighted to observe that the decisions we make within the Organisation extend beyond the political sphere and positively impact our economic relations. Trade volume between our country and the four full member states of the Organisation of Turkic States has seen an increase of nearly 50% over the past five years. In other words, we are currently pleased to observe that we have attained an approximate trade volume of 80 billion dollars among our four brotherly countries."

President Erdoğan noted that the summit represents a significant milestone, as it is the first one held in a country with observer member status and within the European Union, adding:

''In this regard, it occupies a unique position compared to the earlier summits. This stands as a highly significant testament to the rapidly increasing visibility and expanded activities of our organisation. We deliberated on steps to enhance our solidarity and cooperation during the Council of Heads of State meeting held as part of the summit, which centred on the theme 'Meeting Point of East and West'. We assessed the previous period and drew conclusions regarding the future. In this context, we also reviewed the preparatory process for our 12th summit, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in October. At the summit, in addition to the Budapest Declaration, we, as leaders, also adopted three other documents. Our Foreign Ministers also reached an agreement on four documents.

In this framework, we agreed on statements that we welcome the contributions of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the work of the organisation as an inseparable part of the Turkic world, express the solidarity of the Turkic world in securing the equal inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriots, emphasise the need to reach a settlement based on existing realities on the island, reaffirm the importance of preventing any actions and threats aimed at undermining the unity among the Turkic states and reiterate the commitment to the integrity and the organisational and decision-making capacity of the Organisation of Turkic States."

"We have a profound friendship with Hungary"

Stating that they took the lead in including references to Gaza, which holds particular importance and priority for Türkiye, as well as Palestine, Syria, and Afghanistan in the declaration, President Erdoğan remarked, ''In line with our March 21 call, we have reached an agreement to organise commemorative and celebratory events for Nowruz, the shared festival of the Turkic world. On the margins of the summit, we presented the Ali Şir Nevai Award to our Nobel laureate scientist Professor Aziz Sancar for his contributions to the unity of the Turkic world."

President Erdoğan stated that they addressed current affairs in his bilateral meetings with his counterparts, saying, "The organisation has become a source of pride for the entire world with its international reputation enhancing and its areas of cooperation diversifying by the day." We will continue to strive with all our institutions and organisations to further develop our comprehensive cooperation within our family council. Guided by these thoughts, I hope that our consultations and engagements will be auspicious for our friendly and brotherly countries."

In response to a journalist's question, "Considering that Hungary is a member of the European Union and has observer status in the Organisation of Turkic States, what could be done to increase the efficiency of the relations of Hungary and Türkiye in the context of both countries?" President Erdoğan gave the following answer:

"We have a profound friendship with Hungary and are in close cooperation. We also have very good relations with Mr Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary. In recent years, we have made significant progress in strengthening the ties between Türkiye and Hungary owing to the steps we have taken. In the context of leader-to-leader diplomacy, our relations are progressing in a positive direction. Hungary, as a member of the European Union and an observer member of OTS, is an asset to our organisation. For the first time, such a meeting has been held in the observer member country; this is very, very important. We are also very happy to be together with Hungary under the umbrella of the Organisation of Turkic States. Through the steps to be taken, I firmly believe that the strengthening of the existing solidarity between Türkiye and Hungary will lead us to a much more remarkable position. Hungary is also one of Türkiye’s key supporters in its bid for European Union membership. We are making significant efforts to further diversify the close ties between our countries. Currently, for example, Hungary is making a serious leap in animal husbandry. Hungary's plains and pastures are very fertile. We are also NATO allies with Hungary; we are deepening our cooperation in the defence industry through concrete projects, and we remain committed to this effort. We have agreements in the fields of energy, agriculture, the defence industry, and small and medium-sized enterprises, and we are determined to further advance these agreements."

"European countries are beginning to realise the situation with Israel, albeit belatedly"

In response to the question, "For 20 months, the West has turned a blind eye in the face of Israel's genocide in Gaza. Yet, certain reactions have emerged recently. They did not even lift a finger in response to the loss of countless lives. How do you assess these dilemmas?" President Erdoğan remarked that these were the dilemmas of the world.

President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows:

"The Gaza issue has not only proven to be a humanitarian crisis but also a test of sincerity for the international system. Unfortunately, Western institutions have not been able to pass the test of Gaza. By remaining silent in the face of Israeli cruelty, they have effectively nullified all their claims on human rights and international law. Think about it: how is it possible to stay silent in a world where babies are dying from bullets, bombs, and now hunger? Is there any greater blindness and deafness than staying silent about the persecution in Gaza and turning a deaf ear to the cries rising from there? History will judge those who fail the test of Gaza. As Türkiye, we have stood by humanity and human dignity, and we will continue to do so. We will improve our means and do everything in our power to continue providing food aid to the region. Israel, which is blocking the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, is becoming increasingly isolated on a global level. European countries are beginning to realise and shift their attitudes towards Israel, albeit belatedly. Our primary focus is to swiftly turn these developments concerning Gaza and Palestine into a positive outcome."

"The disarmament and dissolution process of the PKK also includes its Syrian branch"

In response to the question, "You had an online meeting with US President Donald Trump when he was in Riyadh during the first leg of his Gulf tour. Then, the decision was made to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria. Regarding this issue, Donald Trump referred to you. The European Union also announced that it would follow suit. There is also the issue of the YPG, with an agreement made with the Syrian administration concerning terrorism connections and disarmament. Recently, we have also seen that the Director of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) has increased his contacts with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa of Syria. Is there a problem on the Syrian front?" President Erdoğan emphasised that during his phone conversations with Trump, they primarily focused on the issue of lifting sanctions on Syria.

Indicating that when Trump went to Riyadh, President Ahmad Al-Sharaa of Syria also travelled there; President Erdoğan stated that he attended the meeting online and that their vision was put into practice as a result of the meetings held by the foreign ministers.

Recalling that following the declaration from the United States, the European Union Foreign Affairs Council also made a decision, President Erdoğan said, "They also announced that they lifted their sanctions. These are crucial steps for Syria to achieve stability in the region. It also shows how the constructive and multi-layered diplomacy we conduct produces results. The Riyadh Summit has once again demonstrated that our country is a highly sought-after actor in such critical processes."

Stating that the YPG issue contains several components, one of which is the issue of DAESH detainees that the YPG has been holding captive for a long time, President Erdoğan indicated that a committee was established with the American, Syrian, and Iraqi administrations, and the committee convened to address the question of "What will happen to DAESH prisoners and civilians living in the camps, especially women and children?"

Pointing out that detailed work regarding these people is currently underway, President Erdoğan said, "On the other hand, another issue is whether the YPG will respond to the call made in Türkiye. Or will it remain faithful to the March 8 agreement made in Damascus? Or will they do both together? The disarmament and dissolution process for the PKK also includes its Syrian branch. We believe that the agreement reached on March 8 was further strengthened by calls from Ankara and Iran. They are also currently in the midst of such a transition and pursuit. We consider that the upcoming days will be very critical. Our relevant institutions are monitoring the integration of all armed groups into the Syrian army in coordination with their counterparts."

President Erdoğan said, "We are monitoring the issue regarding the YPG very, very closely. It is important for the Damascus administration not to divert its attention from this issue. Currently, they have numerous matters to discuss. We are working to direct their attention to this topic. Iraq needs to focus on the issue of camps. The majority of women and children, especially in the Al Hawl camp, are from Iraq and Syria. They must fulfil their responsibilities. The resolution of these issues will decrease the importance of the YPG and facilitate integration."