Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan has warned that T\u00fcrkiye will not stand idly by in the face of hostile moves aimed at encircling the country, stressing that Ankara seeks peaceful relations with all nations but will firmly oppose injustice, illegality and oppression wherever they occur.<\/p>\n
President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan made the remarks at a press conference following a meeting of the Presidential Cabinet at the Presidential Complex, where he addressed regional tensions, T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s foreign policy, relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the recent maritime disaster in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and the economic consequences of escalating conflicts in the region.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan stressed that T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s calm and measured approach should not be mistaken for weakness or interpreted as a sign that Ankara would tolerate threats against its sovereignty.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me openly note that our calm and mature stance shouldn\u2019t let anyone indulge in different fantasies,\u201d Erdo\u011fan said. \u201cWe will not allow anyone to orchestrate an operation targeting our lands, which we made home for ourselves by the clatter of swords. Nor can we remain a bystander to the hostile steps in our region that are aimed at encircling our country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Turkish president emphasized that T\u00fcrkiye harbors no hostility toward any particular country, society, faith or culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cT\u00fcrkiye doesn\u2019t oppose any country, any society, any faith or any culture, and it is simply unthinkable for it to do so,\u201d he said. \u201cYet, T\u00fcrkiye also stands against any illegality, any injustice and any tyranny, no matter who it comes from, and it will continue to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018No One Is Strong Enough to Change the Course of History\u2019<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan said T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s fundamental objective is to continue its path as an independent, stable and prosperous state despite the difficult geopolitical environment in which it is located.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to reiterate that we don\u2019t harbor animosity against anyone categorically,\u201d he said. \u201cWe, quite the contrary, wish to continue our path as an independent, stable and prosperous state in the difficult geography we are located in. Never will we allow this to be hampered.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s growing influence and its efforts to promote peace and stability in the region would not be derailed by those seeking to contain the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose concerned by our country\u2019s growing strength and its efforts for the establishment of peace and stability in the region cannot deter us,\u201d Erdo\u011fan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave no doubts whatsoever that no one is strong enough to change the course of history,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan also underscored T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s determination to strengthen its historical, cultural and familial ties with peoples across the wider region.<\/p>\n
\u201cT\u00fcrkiye will shake hands with its friends, get reunited with its relatives, and will once again band together with its brothers and sisters,\u201d he said. \u201cThose friendly to T\u00fcrkiye will win and those harboring animosity to it will lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victory Day Marked Under the Shadow of a Tragic Accident<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan also spoke about the tragic maritime accident in the TRNC, saying that T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s August 30 Victory Day commemorations were overshadowed by the disaster.<\/p>\n
A passenger ship traveling from Kyrenia to Ta\u015fucu capsized, leaving 14 people dead and another 14 missing, while 239 passengers survived, according to Erdo\u011fan.<\/p>\n
He said T\u00fcrkiye was supporting the ongoing search-and-rescue operation in coordination with the TRNC authorities, deploying nine vessels and 11 aircraft.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile 239 of our brothers and sisters survived the tragic accident in which a passenger ship travelling from Girne to Ta\u015fucu capsized, 14 others were unfortunately killed,\u201d Erdo\u011fan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs 14 passengers are still missing, we are supporting the search and rescue efforts with 9 vessels and 11 aircraft in cooperation with the TRNC.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan said eight crew members, including the captain, had been taken into custody as part of an investigation launched by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe judicial process is being closely followed by our relevant official bodies,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrkiye to Strengthen Cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization<\/p>\n
Turning to T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s foreign policy, Erdo\u011fan said Ankara would continue expanding its relations with countries and regional organizations around the world based on an approach that places T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s interests at the center.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith its historical and cultural heritage, as well as its great financial and social potential, T\u00fcrkiye is a country whose star is increasingly shining across the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan noted that T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s historical and cultural ties extend across a vast geography, making it important to build stronger commercial and cultural connections with other societies.<\/p>\n
He identified the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as one of the key regional organizations with which T\u00fcrkiye has significantly expanded its engagement in recent years.<\/p>\n
The SCO, of which T\u00fcrkiye is a dialogue partner, represents a vast economic and demographic bloc, with approximately 4 billion people and an economy approaching $35 trillion, Erdo\u011fan said.<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s annual trade with SCO member states is already nearing $150 billion, he added, stressing that Ankara wants to increase this figure while creating a more balanced trade relationship.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan said T\u00fcrkiye reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the organization at the SCO leaders\u2019 summit held in Bishkek on September 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the summit, we highlighted T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s importance to the SCO in terms of energy security and interconnectivity,\u201d Erdo\u011fan said.<\/p>\n
He added that discussions also focused on the SCO\u2019s role in promoting multipolarity as the international system undergoes a major transformation amid growing global challenges.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan said he held meetings with several heads of state and government on the sidelines of the summit, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to strengthen our ties with the SCO, which we view as complementary to the United Nations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan: \u2018Everyone Is Paying the Price for the War\u2019<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan also addressed the economic consequences of escalating regional tensions, particularly the impact of rising oil prices and the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rise in oil prices will apparently continue to strain everyone so long as the deadlock in the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan argued that the economic fallout from the conflict is being felt far beyond the countries directly involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only the Iranian people, or not only the brotherly Gulf countries, but everyone, relevant or irrelevant, is paying the price for the war that began with Israel\u2019s schemes and provocations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also accused Israel of undermining diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions, saying that what he described as Israeli \u201clies and sabotages\u201d had contributed to the failure of the Islamabad agreement, which he said had offered hope of relief for the region.<\/p>\n
Erdo\u011fan warned that the region\u2019s cycle of conflict and instability would continue unless the approach of those opposed to peace fundamentally changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spiral of crises in our region will not end so long as this radical mentality, which considers even the slightest possibility of peace to be a threat for itself, remains unchanged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the continuing geopolitical and economic challenges, Erdo\u011fan stressed that T\u00fcrkiye would remain committed to economic growth and development.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though we make some adjustments to our targets under the light of these facts, we will continue to keep the Turkish economy on the path of development and growth,\u201d he said. (ILKHA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan has warned that T\u00fcrkiye will not stand idly by in the face of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":218979,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[16467],"tags":[16113,7313,7241,13572,7098,7362],"class_list":["post-218978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-recep-tayyip-erdogan","tag-ankara","tag-cabinet","tag-erdogan","tag-meeting","tag-recep-tayyip-erdogan","tag-turkey"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@people\/117231908705578426","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=218978"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218978\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/218979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=218978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=218978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=218978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}