President Erdoğan: We want the black sea to become a ‘sea of peace’ as soon as possible

 

President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at Parliamentary Group Meeting of the Justice and Development Party.

“We are going through an era of significant developments both in our country and in our region and in the world,” President Erdoğan said. Highlighting Turkey’s sensitivity regarding its rights in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Cyprus, President Erdoğan said: “Due to the recent hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Mediterranean, the problems in the region have become a matter of greater conflicts of interests. The reckless actions of Greece, backed by some European states, and Southern Cyprus, which act along with it, have become a source of danger and threat to, first and foremost, themselves.”

“WE WILL NOT MAKE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST CONCESSION FROM OUR OWN THESES IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN OR IN ANY OTHER AREA”

Drawing attention to the danger, opportunism poses in international relations, President Erdoğan said: “We will not allow those, who want to establish economic and political hegemony over areas in the Mediterranean, on which they have no rights, by taking advantage of the fact that some countries are dealing with their own domestic issues.”

Noting that those, who quake in their boots in the face of the refugee influx, throw their weight around when it comes to oil, natural gas and political gain, President Erdoğan said: “It is hypocritical that those, who do not fulfill their duties to humanity, push all rules and practices for their economic interests. We are not buying these games which have been played against us over and over again in past. We, as Turkey, will not make even the slightest concession from our own theses in the eastern Mediterranean or in any other area. And we will defend our nation’s and friend’s rights to the end.”

“WE WANT THE BLACK SEA TO BECOME A ‘SEA OF PEACE’ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

Pointing to the escalating tension in the Black Sea, President Erdoğan said: “It saddens us that the long-standing incidents between Russia and Ukraine, which appeared to have subsided for a while, have rekindled. As a country, which sees both Russia and Ukraine as close friends and wants to carry its deep cooperation with both countries to the future, we want the Black Sea to become a ‘sea of peace’ as soon as possible. Therefore, we reiterate our call to our Russian and Ukrainian friends to resolve their problems through dialogue.”

“TURKEY’S OPERATION EUPHRATES SHIELD BURST THE DAESH BUBBLE IN OUR REGION”

“We have supported ever effort aimed at protecting Syria’s territorial integrity and restoring its political unity,” President Erdoğan said. Noting that when all else pursued their own interests and gains in Syria under the guise of fighting DAESH, Turkey took a risk and took to the field, President Erdoğan said: “We have dealt the heaviest blow to DAESH. It is Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield that has burst the DAESH bubble in our region. And, it is when Turkey has taken the field that everyone has seen what kind of a project the DAESH, which has constantly been pumped up and exaggerated to frighten the world, actually is.” Stating that Turkey has begun to destroy DAESH, President Erdoğan said: “Those, who claim to be against DAESH, have not put up even the slightest fight against it. Today, DAESH still appears to maintain its presence in certain locations in Syria because they want to stage the same play once again.”

“WE ARE ERASING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE ECONOMIC ATTACKS WE SUFFERED IN THE SUMMER”

Underscoring that Turkey is erasing the negative effects of the economic attacks it suffered in the summer, President Erdoğan said: “We will not allow the election atmosphere to overshadow this positive course. We see that some circles still approach with hesitation and follow a ‘wait-and-see’ policy with regard to their investments and expenditures. However, it is not time to wait. On the contrary, it is time to seize opportunities.”

Following his speech, President Erdoğan introduced the AK Party’s mayoral candidates in 20 provinces for the March 31 local elections.