President Erdoğan: Our approach to NATO’s enlargement originates from our principled stance on combatting terrorism
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a press conference following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Complex.
“THOSE CARING ABOUT NOTHING BUT THEIR OWN SECURITY CANNOT TOLERATE TÜRKİYE’S INDEPENDENT STANCE”
Noting that the world is going through a period when the global economy has been shaken to its foundations and severe cracks have emerged in the global security architecture, President Erdoğan stated: “It is not surprising but saddening that those who have made it their main policy to obstruct Türkiye for a long time persist with the same attitude of theirs even during such a period. Those who used to steer our country as they wished by means of tutelage, coup plotters and political and economic hitmen still continue to target our country without minding their own decaying. Those who care about nothing but their own security and welfare cannot tolerate Türkiye’s independent stance.”
“The attitudes taken and the remarks made on this issue stem not from our interlocutors’ sensitivities about rights, freedoms and the rules of economy but from their anxiety to defend their own interests,” the President said. “Those who disregard the legitimate aims of the secure zones we have created along our southern borders and the problems plaguing the millions of people whose every kind of needs, including security, we have been meeting inside and right across our borders cannot lecture us on alliance or human rights. Even in the war in the north of the Black Sea, about which everyone likes to talk big, it is us who have given the most significant, concrete and beneficial support to Ukraine, the attack on whose territorial integrity and sovereign rights we have openly rejected. We have bravely expressed this attitude of ours to Russia as well at every level and platform where we are in contact with them.”
“TÜRKİYE EXERTS THE SINCEREST EFFORTS FOR A CEASEFIRE”
Stressing that Türkiye, instead of engaging in pretenses which would make no contribution to the solution of the crisis, exerts the sincerest efforts to first reach a ceasefire and then to achieve lasting peace in the region by maintaining political and humanitarian relations with Russia, President Erdoğan said: “If the countries applying for NATO membership look at their past, they will see that we have made major contributions to them as well against the threats arising from the east. Our approach to NATO’s enlargement originates not from bigotry or animosity but from our principled stance on combatting terrorism.”
Referring to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ remarks to the US Congress urging against F16 sales to Türkiye President Erdoğan said: “Is Greece not the route FETO terrorists use to go to Europe? Is it not the one which nurtures the terrorist organizations it harbors? And most importantly there are nearly 10 bases in Greece. Whom does Greece threaten with those bases? Or why are these bases being created in Greece? There is a Greece which now owes €400 billion to EU countries,” the President said.
President Erdoğan underlined that he and the Greek PM had actually agreed during their previous talks not to let third countries come between Türkiye and Greece, and continued: “We were going to hold the Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting this year but Mitsotakis no longer exists for me. I don’t accept any such meeting with him anymore because we walk on the same path with honorable politicians who have character and who keep their promises.”
“THOSE WHO BACK TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD FIRST OF ALL ABANDON THEIR ARROGANT ATTITUDE TOWARDS US”
As regards Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership applications, President Erdoğan drew attention to the ongoing activities of the members of the PKK/YPG and DHKP-C terrorist organizations in these countries, and said: “We know our job. We know how to take the steps that should be taken. We have told that these countries have to choose between providing practical and political support to terrorist organizations and expecting Türkiye’s consent to their NATO membership, and they have to show this with explicit signs. Let me underscore it once again hereby. Those who back, and provide every kind of support to, terrorist organizations that pose a threat to Türkiye should first of all abandon their unlawful, insincere and arrogant attitude towards us. May no one have any doubts whatsoever that we as Türkiye will do our part once we see concrete practices indicating such a change.”
On the issue of Türkiye’s fight against terror along its southern borders, President Erdoğan said: “We are starting to take new steps soon regarding the remaining parts of the works which we have launched to create 30 kilometers deep secure zones along our southern borders. Areas which are the main targets of frequent attacks, harassments and traps constitute our operations’ priorities. These operations will start as soon as our military, intelligence and security units complete their preparations.”
