President Erdoğan: It is not a preference but an obligation for Türkiye to be strong in political, economic and military terms

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Complex.

FOREIGN MINISTER ÇAVUŞOĞLU TO HOLD TALKS IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

Describing the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, held last week in Antalya, as one of the most visible signs of Türkiye’s incrementally growing strength in its region and the world, President Erdoğan stated that 16 heads of state and government, 80 ministers, and representatives from 39 international organizations from across the world had attended the three-day forum this year.

“The most eye-catching part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, without doubt, was the meeting that was held between Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers and attended by Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. This meeting, the highest-level contact between Russia and Ukraine in a long while, was of great importance in that it opened the doors of diplomacy and dialogue, even though there was no concrete outcome,” the President said.

President Erdoğan continued as follows: “I am sending our Foreign Minister to Russia today. He will be holding talks in Moscow tomorrow and then will proceed to Ukraine on Thursday. Through his talks with both sides, he will maintain our efforts for ceasefire and peace.”

Drawing attention to the meetings he had held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, President Erdoğan stated: “On Friday, I met with Prime Minister of Albania Mr. Edi Rama, NATO Secretary General Mr. Stoltenberg, Founding President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nazarbayev and President of Slovenia Mr. Pahor. On Saturday, I had talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential Council Members Mr. Džaferović and Mr. Dodik, Prime Minister of Bulgaria Mr. Petkov, President of Guinea-Bissau Mr. Embalo, IKRG President Mr. Barzani, President of Niger Mr. Bazoum, President of Sierra Leone Mr. Bio and President of Liberia Mr. Weah.”

President Erdoğan said: “I see the Antalya Diplomacy Forum as a critical platform given the profile of the participants and the messages delivered there as well as that it demonstrates our country’s stance as regards regional and global developments. I, on behalf of myself and my nation, thank everyone, particularly Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who contributed to the forum.”  

What is more, the President continued, “we welcomed in Ankara President of Israel Mr. Herzog during an official visit on Wednesday and President of Azerbaijan my brother Aliyev during a working visit on Thursday. At the evening of the same day, we had a phone call with Mr. Biden.” 

President Erdoğan added: “On Sunday, I and Prime Minister of Greece Mr. Mitsotakis had a fruitful working luncheon which I believe will contribute to the solution of the problems between our countries. Yesterday, Chancellor of Germany Mr. Scholz was in Ankara paying his first official visit to Türkiye after taking office. Our bilateral meeting was followed by a working dinner with a broad participation. Tomorrow, we will be meeting with President Duda of Poland in Ankara.”

“TÜRKİYE CONSOLIDATES ITS POSITION AS A CENTRAL COUNTRY IN DIPLOMACY”

Stressing that Türkiye, as was seen, was resolutely implementing its growth strategy based on investments, employment, manufacturing and current account surplus while also consolidating its position as a central country in diplomacy, President Erdoğan stated: “The Ukraine crisis has reminded all of us that it is not a preference but an obligation for Türkiye to be strong in political, economic and military terms, as well as to come to a position where it, going beyond self-sufficiency, can lend support to its friends and brothers. We know by countless experiences of a long period that there is no good to us from anyone unless we, when needed, can fend for ourselves, unless we can meet our demands, and make and execute our plans by ourselves. The moral support of our friends and our brothers and sisters, whose hearts and prayers are with us, is of course important but it is a fact that we, effectively, have to take matters into our own hands.”