“Our only aim is to ensure peace and stability in the region”

 

Speaking at the Bosphorus Diplomacy Forum, President Erdoğan said: “I would like our young friends to know that we have just one aim, which is to ensure peace, tranquility and stability in the region in a strong manner. As Türkiye, our cause is to pave the way for this.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the Bosphorus Diplomacy Forum on the Democracy and Freedoms Island.

“THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPLETELY PARALYZED”

“We are going through a difficult and historic period of tectonic shifts in international politics, President Erdoğan said. “At this point, it is clear that the order established by the victors of the Second World War has lost not only its functionality but also its credibility. Universal values have been shelved, governance mechanisms have collapsed, and the international system—whose legitimacy is derived from rules and principles—has been completely paralyzed. Global peace and security have been replaced by an endless spiral of war and instability. The just have been abandoned in the face of the unjust, the oppressed in the face of the oppressor, and the weak in the face of the powerful. Human rights and human dignity have been severely undermined; sentiments such as justice, conscience, and compassion have been silenced. We are facing a profound systemic crisis that no one can deny. Whereas, the current global system was founded 80 years ago based on the lessons drawn from the Second World War to avert new wars and genocides. Mechanisms such as the UN Security Council were established to prevent humanitarian catastrophes. Yet today, structures meant to hold the key to solutions have become part of the problem. They have been condemned to inertia.”

“When we say that the global system has collapsed, we do not say this as mere rhetoric. On the contrary, as a country, we are located in a region that bears the full burden of this failed system. At present, almost all of the crises, tensions, genocides, conflicts, and acts of oppression dominating the global agenda are taking place in this geography. Although Türkiye rises as an island of stability in its region, it is not far from the incidents,” President Erdoğan stated. “Even if others remain indifferent, we cannot stay silent in the face of the suffering, the oppression, and the endless conflicts in our region. It is our duty as well as our historical and moral responsibility to find a solution and lead it. Every life lost on the streets of Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, and Somalia tears away a piece of our own soul.”

“WE ARE ENDEAVORING TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRES IN OUR GEOGRAPHY”

President Erdoğan continued: “I would like our young friends to know that we have just one aim, which is to ensure peace, tranquility and stability in the region in a strong manner. As Türkiye, our cause is to pave the way for this. With our state wisdom filtered through thousands of years, with our diplomatic tradition dating back five centuries and with our growing economy as well as with our well-established institutions and principled foreign policy, we are endeavoring to extinguish the fires in our geography. Never considering foreign policy to be a zero-sum game, we wholeheartedly believe that peace, prosperity and stability expand further as they are shared.”

“We offer our utmost contribution to the settlement of regional and global issues through our human-oriented, pro-active, enterprising and multidimensional foreign policy. This is what we have done for 14 years in our neighbor Syria. With all our means, we have stood by the oppressed Syrians vis-à-vis the oppression of the bloodthirsty regime. Even when the whole world turned its back on the Syrian people, we never abandoned them. We did the same in the Russia-Ukraine war, too. While warlords poured fuel on the fire, we worked for a just peace. Now, we are doing the same in Palestine, in Gaza,” President Erdoğan said.

“WE SEND OUR GREETINGS TO THE HOPEFUL PASSENGERS OF THE SUMUD FLOTILLA”

“An atrocious and disgraceful genocide has been unfolding for two years in Gaza before the very eyes of the world,” President Erdoğan stressed. “Netanyahu and his massacre network are targeting Palestinian civilians with cutting-edge weapons and are bombing innocents. The elderly, children and even infants in incubators are being mercilessly slaughtered in Gaza by this massacre gang. Hunger is being recklessly used as a weapon of mass destruction in Gaza. Healthcare professionals rushing to save lives, members of the press putting the genocide on record are being murdered before the very eyes of the whole world. Yet, what happened? The murderer called Netanyahu had to address empty seats in the hall of the United Nations General Assembly.”

President Erdoğan went on: “On the other hand, the reactions and cries of conscientious people from across the world inspire hope for Palestine and Gaza. As we are gathered for the Diplomacy Forum right here at the moment, the Sumud Flotilla, with its sails filled with wind, is navigating towards Gaza. Unarmed activists and volunteers with different colors and faiths who come from different places of the world but who have conscience, are carrying aid to Gaza. From here, we send our greetings to the hopeful passengers of the Sumud Flotilla facing Israeli state terror. May Allah protect and guide them.”

“NETANYAHU AND HIS CABINET MUST IMMEDIATELY BE TRIED AND PUNISHED”

President Erdoğan stressed: “With every passing day, it becomes more evident that Israel’s target is not only Gaza. Particularly the attack on Qatar further unveiled Israel’s true intention. It was seen once again that it is imperative to stop the monster. The awakening prompted by Gaza lies behind the rise in the number of countries recognizing Palestine. As you know, the number has now surpassed 150. Recognizing Palestine is for sure a crucial step, even if belated. We only appreciate it when the wrong done for decades to our Palestinian brothers and sisters is corrected. However, once cannot help but ask these questions: Couldn’t these steps have been taken earlier? Couldn’t Palestine have been defended before the death of 65 thousand innocent people? Couldn’t Palestine have been officially recognized before it was rendered unrecognizable by the hands of the massacre network?”

“The will displayed for the State of Palestine will remain incomplete unless Israel is stopped. Netanyahu himself as well as his cabinet and his massacre network must immediately be tried and punished. Deterrent sanctions must be imposed on Israel, including banning it from international sports tournaments. The decision taken by Spain cannot be set aside. The head of Turkish Football Federation has already voiced his stance on the issue. We will of course make an assessment of it. Economically, the Israeli government must be made to pay the bill of the destruction in Gaza that amounts to nearly 100 billion dollars. The measures Türkiye has taken in trade and other areas against Israel should set an example for other countries, and they should also start taking similar steps. Otherwise, the chaos will not be confined to the boundaries of the Middle East and this fire will engulf the whole world. We will continue our efforts to prevent the flames from spreading further and to establish peace and tranquility in our region,” President Erdoğan said.