President Erdoğan: We will re-emphasize the importance we attach to the alliance during the NATO Summit

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a press conference at Atatürk Airport prior to his departure for Brussels, where he will attend the NATO Leaders’ Summit.

Noting that he will be attending an important summit during which decisions will be taken regarding the NATO 2030 process, which will shape the roadmap of the alliance for the next decade, President Erdoğan said: “Together with our allies, we will re-emphasize the importance we attach to the alliance.”

“WE ARE FIGHTING AGAINST MANY TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS AT THE SAME TIME”

Underscoring that most of the crises risking the global stability today take place in the region encompassing Turkey as well, President Erdoğan said: “As Turkey we are fighting against many terrorist organizations, from DAESH and PKK/YPG to FETO and DHKP-C, at the same time. And we are putting up this fight not only inside our borders but in a vast area stretching from Syria to Iraq. The terrorist attack carried out yesterday on Al Shifa Hospital in Afrin has shown what a vicious and treacherous organization the PKK/YPG is. 14 civilians, including babies, doctors and patients, died a martyr’s death and 32 brothers and sisters of ours were injured in this attack. We will make these villains, massacring innocent people in our country, civilians in Syria and our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Iraq, pay for every drop of blood they shed.”

“WE PROTECT NATO’S BORDERS WHEN WE PROTECT OUR OWN BORDERS”

Pointing out that Turkey’s borders are also NATO’s borders, President Erdoğan said: “We protect NATO’s borders as well, when we protect our own borders. We rightfully expect actions in line with the spirit of the alliance in the fights we are putting up on different fronts. We will also voice our expectation to our allies at the summit that they show solidarity with us against the threats our country is faced with, terrorism in particular. The contributions we have made at every period of need since 1952 are each a milestone of Turkey’s place and importance within NATO. We, as a reliable ally, have and still assume critical responsibilities in the face of the challenges NATO is faced with today.”

President Erdoğan added that he will hold meetings with heads of state and government on the margins of the summit, and that bilateral relations and cooperation within NATO will be discussed at the talks.

“TURKEY-AZERBAIJAN BROTHERHOOD IS THE ASSURANCE OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF OUR REGION”

Stating that following the NATO Leaders’ Summit he will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, President Erdoğan said: “Turkey-Azerbaijan brotherhood is the assurance of peace, prosperity and stability of our region. As is known, Azerbaijan has recently achieved a historic victory in Karabakh and put an end to the 30-year-long occupation. This victory has laid the groundwork for lasting peace and stability in the region as well. It is our biggest desire that this chance will not be wasted by domestic political calculations.”

President Erdoğan noted that he will attend important international meetings when he return to Turkey following his foreign visits.

“TURKEY IS ONE OF THE FIVE COUNTRIES WITHIN NATO TO PROPERLY FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES”

In answer to a question about the US designation of the 1915 incidents as ‘genocide’, President Erdoğan said: “I am not a person that is newly acquainted with the US and its leaders. We had a process with the Bush administration, with Mr. Obama, with Trump; and now we are living a process with Biden. I cannot say we had bad days with all of them. We usually undertook very successful works with them. Yet, should you ask if Turkey’s expectations from the US were fully fulfilled during these works,’ I cannot say ‘yes.’ I hope fulfillment will be achieved in the period ahead. That is so because Turkey is one of the top five countries within NATO to properly fulfill its responsibilities. This is an important situation. This is acknowledged and appreciated by them as well. This will not be my first meeting with Mr. Biden. We had many meetings with him both during his visit to my home and at the place where I stayed in the US. In other words, he is a friend of ours with whom I met very frequently when he was Mr. Obama’s vice president. And now I hope we will hold our talks by preserving the same sensitivity and will have taken steps that will let April 24 be forgotten. I hope we will have the same determination regarding NATO as well. We are also one of the rare countries within NATO to make the payments.”

“TURKEY IS NOT AN ORDINARY COUNTRY”

Answering a question on what items will be on the agenda during his meeting with US President Joe Biden, President Erdoğan, stressing that all aspects of Turkey-US relations should be discussed, drew attention to President Biden’s remarks on April 24, and said: “Obviously, we would not expect such a perspective. We are deeply saddened by this perspective. It is impossible for us to not raise this issue at the meeting. That is so because Turkey is not an ordinary country. Turkey and the US are two NATO allies.”

Also pointing to the issues regarding defense industry, President Erdoğan said the most important topic is the F-35 issue, and that although Turkey has fulfilled its commitments and made a huge amount of payment, the US has not abided by the contract.

“WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM THE US AN APPROACH WITHOUT IFS AND BUTS”

Further stressing that the US didn’t keep its promise regarding the Patriots and that Turkey, thus, obtained the S400s from Russia, President Erdoğan stated: “There are also many other issues in defense industry which we started but couldn’t continue. These of course wouldn’t be desired. It would be beneficial to discuss during our bilateral meeting what can and cannot be done in the period ahead. We will discuss these. All we seek and expect is to see from the US an approach without ifs and buts that will further strengthen the unity, solidarity and cooperation within NATO. As another step, we expect NATO and the members of the alliance to take into consideration our country’s security sensitivities and to act in accordance with the spirit of alliance both in deeds and words. Indeed, the US, as you know, is preparing to leave Afghanistan at an early date and Turkey is the only reliable country to maintain the process there after the US’ withdrawal. Our diplomats have already given the necessary answers to their counterparts on this issue. They are also happy and pleased about this. We will discuss Afghanistan and other issues with them.”

In answer to a question about Turkey’s expectation of support from NATO in the fight against terror, President Erdoğan stated: “We will definitely have a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mr. Stoltenberg. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg is a friend of ours who has displayed a truly positive approach in this process. He has never compromised on this positive approach of his in this process. He is a friend that maintains the process in the same manner. We will have the opportunity to discuss what steps we can take and what we can do.”