President Erdoğan: Operation Peace Spring does not target our Kurdish brothers and sisters
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with representatives of Turkish-American community at the Diyanet Center of America as part of his programme in Washington, D.C.
Delivering a speech at the meeting, President Erdoğan drew attention to what he called recent difficulties in Turkey-U.S. relations, and said: “As Turkey we, in line with the alliance and strategic partnership relation between the two countries, do what falls to us, and will continue to do so. We have thus far acted in a way to which our mutual interests require.” Stating that Turkey has never hesitated to take whatever steps have been necessary for its security and Turkish people’s future, President Erdoğan added: “All other issues are of secondary importance when it comes to our independence and future.”
“OPERATION PEACE SPRING DOES NOT TARGET OUR KURDISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS”
Underscoring that Operation Peace Spring is Turkey’s determination on the fight against terror, President Erdoğan noted: “Operation Peace Spring does not target our Kurdish brothers and sisters, it is an operation that targets solely terrorist organizations.” President Erdoğan stressed that Turkey has shown through this operation that it will not allow a terror corridor in the north of Syria, and added: “We will by no means allow the establishment of a terror state, either. We have foiled in a very short span of time the trap set under the pretext of combatting the DAESH. The only true and tangible effort for the return of millions of Syrians living abroad is the places we have made secure.”
“WE EXPECT THE U.S. TO END ITS SUPPORT TO THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION”
Stating that it is only Turkey that wages a true fight against the DAESH terrorist organization, President Erdoğan said Turkey has captured over 3 thousand DAESH members in Al-Bab, and that there are more than 2 thousand DAESH members in prisons in Turkey. Further stressing that so long as the PKK terrorist organization and its Syrian offshoot YPG are not rid of the region, Syria and Turkey will not be safe, President Erdoğan added: “And, we expect the U.S. to immediately end its support to the terrorist organization.”
“OUR PEOPLE HAS NO SUCH DARK STAIN IN ITS HISTORY THAT THEY CANNOT FACE”
Recalling the so-called Armenian genocide resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives, President Erdoğan noted: “The so-called Armenian genocide resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on October 29, 2019, our Republic Day, is shameful. For one thing, our people has no such dark stain in its history that they cannot face or explain.” Reiterating that Turkey’s archives are open to all researchers and academics, President Erdoğan said they have offered Armenia to establish a joint history commission, but that the offer has not been accepted. President Erdoğan continued as follows: “It is evident that the adopted resolution does not jibe with historical facts. To us, this resolution is null and void. Those who assume they can put pressure on us through such political decisions will sooner or later understand that they are mistaken.”
