President Erdoğan performs Eid al-Adha prayer at Hala Sultan Mosque in TRNC
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to reporters following the prayer.
Wishing Eid Mubarak to reporters and the Islamic World, President Erdoğan expressed his wish for the Eid to bring peace to the entire humanity. “We are here today for a unique reason before all else. We will be marking the 47th anniversary of the independence struggle of Northern Cyprus. We are having the opportunity of celebrating two festivals simultaneously.”
Asked as to what his messages would be regarding the troubles faced by the Islamic World from Syria to Afghanistan, President Erdoğan stressed that there had been no period free of troubles in the history of humanity. “What will be our solutions to these troubles, what solutions will we produce?” asked the President, adding: “This is not the first time that sovereign powers, imperial powers inflict such troubles on Afghanistan. We had countless troubles in Afghanistan in the past as well. The Afghan people fought against these imperial powers and emerged victorious thanks to their sagacity and determination.”
“WE HAVE STOOD WITH OUR AFGHAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS”
Reminding that imperial powers have been in Afghanistan for over 20 years, President Erdoğan said: “We have stood with our Afghan brothers and sisters against these imperial powers. We have worked for the protection of the Kabul Airport and provided the Afghan people with every kind of humanitarian support. There is a new period now. Three main authorities are apparently present here. NATO, the US and Turkey. The US has decided to withdraw but we have already been operating the Kabul Airport for over 20 years. They have asked us to continue running it in the period ahead as well. We are positive about it at the moment but we have some conditions to the US. What are these conditions? One, the US shall stand with us in terms of diplomacy, in diplomatic relations. Two, it shall mobilize its logistical capabilities for us, it shall hand whatever power it has in terms of logistics over to Turkey. In addition, there will definitely be major problems in financial and administrative respects. It shall lend Turkey the necessary support regarding these topics. If these conditions can be met, we, as Turkey, are thinking about taking over the management of the Kabul Airport.”
Pointing out that the Taliban have some annoyances, President Erdoğan stressed that it must be easier for the Taliban to talk with Turkey than with the US given the faith of the Taliban. Drawing attention to the ongoing process extending from Doha to Kabul, President Erdoğan said: “I believe we will make good use of this process. There are some other alternatives. We continue to work on these alternatives as well.”
TRNC PRESIDENT TATAR: “THE ISSUE, IN MY OPINION, IS HEADED FOR ‘ONE NATION, THREE STATES’”
TRNC President Tatar, when asked about the TRNC-Azerbaijan relations, described Azerbaijan as a brotherly country and, referring to the meeting held between the delegations of the two countries, said: “What lies in their hearts is to boost the relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The fact that deputies from such an important delegation are with us on such an important day of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, that is both the Eid al-Adha and the Peace and Freedom Day, the 47th anniversary, is actually an important message to the world. Our relations will further improve in time.”
Stating that thousands of Azerbaijanis live in the TRNC, President Tatar added: “We have significant and long-standing ties. As I have told them, we originate from the same nation and therefore the issue, in my opinion, is headed for ‘one nation, three states’.”
