President Erdoğan addresses journalists’ questions on return flight from Azerbaijan
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated: “There are no apparent problems or concerns in the terror-free Türkiye process, praise be to Allah. Developments are progressing positively. Despite a few dissenting voices, the messages conveyed are reasonable, constructive, and encouraging.”
President Erdoğan made statements and addressed journalists' questions during his return flight to Türkiye after meetings in the city of Lachin, Azerbaijan, where he had visited to mark Azerbaijan’s Independence Day on May 28.
Expressing his satisfaction at seeing Karabakh again, which regained its freedom after 30 years of occupation, President Erdoğan recalled that he had inaugurated the Lachin International Airport together with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan during his visit.
Noting that they had previously inaugurated Fuzuli and Zangilan airports with President Aliyev, President Erdoğan said, “We are witnessing a full-fledged development and reconstruction mobilisation across every corner of Karabakh following its liberation. It is a source of great pride for us that many Turkish companies are contributing to these efforts. In fact, more than 10 Turkish firms took part in the construction of Lachin Airport.”
The President added that during the visit, they held the second summit of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan trilateral regional consultation mechanism, initiated at the leaders' level in 2024, with the participation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan.
He also noted that ministers in the delegation met with their counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest. President Erdoğan continued:
“As you know, we maintain close and comprehensive cooperation with both Azerbaijan and Pakistan at all levels. I have recently met with my brother, Ilham Aliyev, during the European Political Community Summit and the Informal Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States. We also hosted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in İstanbul last weekend. During our consultations, we not only addressed bilateral issues but also exchanged views on regional developments concerning all three countries. We discussed matters such as trade, investment, energy cooperation, food security, and the East-West-Central Corridor through the Caspian Sea. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our strong support for Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and development activities on its liberated territories.
We place significant emphasis on preventing the recurrence of the suffering experienced over many years and on establishing stability, peace, and prosperity in the South Caucasus. We welcome the steps taken between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We regard the consensus achieved on the text of the peace agreement as a significant advancement towards stability, and we hope this process is concluded as soon as possible. We see that our dear Azerbaijan, the victorious party in the war, is now also emerging as the architect of peace in the region.”
“We welcome the ceasefire between Pakistan and India”
President Erdoğan expressed that they welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India amid the tensions and congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani authorities for their calm and prudent stance throughout the process.
Emphasising the importance of utilising the ceasefire to foster a direct and constructive dialogue between the two parties, President Erdoğan stated, “If the parties wish to achieve sustainable stability in South Asia, we are prepared to do our part. I hope our visit to Azerbaijan yields positive outcomes and contributes to regional peace and prosperity.”
President Erdoğan extended his gratitude, particularly to President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan, for their warm hospitality shown to him and his delegation and congratulated Azerbaijan on May 28, Independence Day.
“People suffered deeply during the years of occupation in this region”
When asked about the significance of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan Trilateral Summit and the opening of Lachin International Airport for regional cooperation and potential areas of progress, President Erdoğan responded:
“People suffered deeply during the years of occupation in this region. Those dark days are now behind us. Lachin holds a key position in strengthening transportation and logistics infrastructure during the reconstruction process in Karabakh. Lachin Airport is extremely important for accelerating regional development. It will boost tourism and trade opportunities. International investors will now have easier access to the region. The scars of war and occupation will quickly fade. As one of the symbols of normalisation in Karabakh, this initiative is of major significance in terms of contributing to regional stability. The airport will elevate the region’s transportation infrastructure to a new level. It will connect the region to the world and, I believe, pave the way for a prosperous future for Lachin and its surroundings. The airport will provide opportunities not just for the region in which it is located, but for Azerbaijan as a whole, indicating that it will also encourage activity throughout the country. These investments will also pave the way for peace. Türkiye and Azerbaijan continue to cooperate across many fields, especially in defence, energy, agriculture, and livestock, which we consider strategic sectors.”
President Erdoğan indicated that achieving total independence in the food sector is a matter of national security and stated: “Whether it be pandemics, water wars, or regional crises, the world has once again realised the importance of supply security. We are striving with all our strength to transform Türkiye into a production hub.”
Indicating that Türkiye seeks to establish even closer cooperation with Azerbaijan in the area of food supply security, President Erdoğan continued: “I believe this cooperation will also serve as a signal flare for our other sister countries within the Organisation of Turkic States. We will prioritise sister countries for products where we have an excess supply. By producing more together and sharing more, we will move forward into a stronger future.”
"We welcome the prospect of Azerbaijan–Armenia peace"
In response to a question about the state of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Caucasus, the current status of the Zangezur Corridor, whether Iran poses any obstacles at this stage, and the possibility of reopening the "Lachin Corridor," President Erdoğan replied as follows:
“We no longer wish to see conflict in the South Caucasus — our desire is for peace and stability. A lasting peace in the region will benefit everyone. We welcome the prospect of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We are closely following this process and actively contributing to it. Such a peace will be valuable not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also for our country. We are also cautiously advancing a normalisation process with Armenia. Once both peace and normalisation are achieved, we believe our countries will benefit from the outcome. There is absolutely no doubt about that.
The Zangezur Corridor is not only a land link between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan; it is also a new integration route connecting the Turkic world via Türkiye. The opening of this corridor in the near future will enhance transportation and energy infrastructure across the Caucasus. We expect our neighbour, Iran, to support initiatives that serve peace, stability, and development in the region. We would, of course, like to see Iran benefit from this ‘win-win’ atmosphere as well. Every step taken, every gate or corridor opened, will not only bring economic gains but also gradually bring countries closer to one another.”
“The Istanbul Peace Process will hopefully resume”
In response to a journalist’s question—“Since the beginning of the Russia–Ukraine war, Türkiye has been conducting intense diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire. Most recently, on May 16, the parties once again sat down at the negotiating table. How do you view this new process? How far is peace?”—President Erdoğan stated:
“The Russia–Ukraine war has evolved into a multi-layered crisis involving global actors, not just the two countries. As you are aware, our Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, was in Russia. Following his meetings in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a statement today, saying, ‘We have asked the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine to be held in İstanbul. This will facilitate the resumption of the Istanbul Peace Process. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s statement should not be underestimated. His statement has further strengthened our hope for peace. Our efforts towards achieving peace are ongoing and will continue to be so. We remain in contact with both Russia and Ukraine. We view the momentum we have gained as an opportunity for lasting peace. In every meeting, we remind our counterparts that this opportunity should not be missed. Now that the door has been opened, we tell them, let us not close it.
The path to a solution lies in more dialogue and more diplomacy. We are using all our diplomatic power and potential for peace. Extinguishing this major fire in our region is both a humanitarian duty and in our national interest. Hopefully, as a result of our peace efforts, we will reach the reconciliation we aspire to. Over the past four years, the entire world has seen that this war has fundamentally altered Europe’s security architecture, particularly its energy policies. The European Union’s search for alternatives to reduce its dependence on Russian energy has increased the geopolitical importance of transit countries like Türkiye.”
"Syria's territorial integrity must be absolutely safeguarded"
To a question, "Has the PKK terrorist organisation started laying down arms? In this context, how do you evaluate the statements by the terrorist organisation and the developments after the dissolution decision? In the same context, how do you evaluate the point reached in SDF-Damascus relations?" President Erdoğan gave the following answer:
"Syria's territorial integrity, unitary structure and national unity must be absolutely safeguarded. We have already stated that we welcome the agreement reached. However, we see that the Syrian Democratic Forces continue to employ their stalling tactics. They have to abandon this attitude. We are scrupulously monitoring the implementation of the decisions taken. It is essential to live up to the promises in line with the timetable in the agreement. Our talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria have been aligned with this objective. Fortunately, in the process of a terrorism-free Türkiye, there appear to be no problems or difficulties. The developments are on a good, positive course. Despite faint notes of discord, the messages conveyed are reasonable, positive and constructive. For sure, with each new stage, our burden grows – as does our hope.
Our colleagues have also been engaged in ongoing discussions with Syria. We are wary of those who seek to poison the process. We will not allow them. Because our goal is crystal clear. The goal is to rid Türkiye of this terrorism problem, which has cost the country years, led to the loss of our most precious treasure—our people—and played into the hands of Türkiye's enemies. As of now, we have covered more distance than ever before. Hopefully, we will reach our goal of a terror-free Türkiye. Whatever we do, we do it for our country, for Türkiye. Whatever we do, we do for the peace and welfare of our nation. We will never be in a bargain that will disturb our nation. We trust in our nation; we trust in the power of brotherhood."
A press member asked, "You have established a team of legal experts for the new constitution efforts. How will this team work? Is there a timetable? When will Türkiye adopt its new constitution? Do you have any must-haves? How do you evaluate the unconstructive attitude of the Republican People's Party (CHP)?" to which President Erdoğan responded as follows:
"A new and civilian constitution is a promise we have made to our nation. There is no turning back from this. We are not the only ones who have made this promise. Many others have spoken about it as well, all calling for a 'civilian constitution'. On the campaign trail, nearly every party and leader has promised the people a new constitution. But has any real progress been made? No. They make promises yet take no concrete steps. We, on the other hand, have not only taken concrete steps but also completed our preparations. These efforts have laid the groundwork for a new constitution. The team we have appointed will, inshallah, make meticulous efforts. At this point, our goal is to transcend political interests and establish a long-term constitution that will guide our country into the Century of Türkiye."
President Erdoğan reiterated that he had assigned a group of 11 individuals to work on the new constitution and said, "They will inshallah begin their work in the coming days. We want a text that is free from remnants of tutelage, one that strengthens democratic legitimacy and safeguards rights and freedoms." Stating that the language of the current Constitution also presents challenges, President Erdoğan continued as follows:
"What we want is not a constitution burdened with such problems but one that is simple, clear, and practical. The legal experts we have brought together, including names such as Professor Serap Yazıcı Özbudun, have long specialised in constitutional law. We want to carry out these efforts together with them. We are approaching this process in good faith, and we expect the same goodwill in return. We say: 'Let us fulfil this promise we have made to the nation, together.' Because a constitution is not a document belonging to a single party, it is a social contract that encompasses the entire nation. That is why we seek the broadest possible consensus. Unfortunately, CHP's usual obstructionist stance has emerged once again. Politics is shaped around society as a whole. If CHP adopts a constructive and cooperative approach, why shouldn't we work with them? Of course, we would. But sadly, that does not appear to be the case."
