Antalya Diplomacy Forum: Important Statements from President Erdoğan
Here are the highlights from President Erdoğan’s statements:
“Distinguished heads of state and government, esteemed ministers, valuable representatives of international organizations, dear young people, precious guests, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings, with respect and affection. I respectfully greet all our friends and brotherly peoples around the world in the person of you, our esteemed participants. Also from here, I greet all the oppressed who carry the pain of wars, conflicts, and deaths in their hearts, on behalf of my country and nation, and send them our messages of solidarity.
Welcome to our beautiful city, you have brought honor. I am very pleased to be together with you. I hope that the program will be beneficial for all humanity.
I hope that the panels and discussions to be held within the scope of the forum, organized under the theme of ‘Taking Ownership of Diplomacy in a Separating World’, will give us all a fruitful horizon tour.
WE ARE GIVING A MESSAGE OF PEACE IN ANTALYA
We once again declare that we prefer dialogue instead of conflicts, common sense and global conscience instead of polarization. Peace and friendship messages position the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in a different place. The heart of global diplomacy will beat in Antalya for 3 days.
HUMANITY IS BIGGER THAN 5
The world is bigger than five, because humanity is bigger than five. We would like to bring a truth to your attention; we are in a country pregnant with crises. This has been the case throughout history. I must also state with pride; we are not only residents of this geography, but also its owners. We have been here for a thousand years, in these lands. Hopefully, we will be here for many more centuries.
We want to see a region where reconciliation, prosperity, not conflict, blood, tears, pain and tension prevail, and leave such a world to our children. We know this is not easy. Today, we are on the side of what is difficult.
We have no designs on anyone’s land. We are interested in the people above the ground, not those under the ground, that is, life. Let’s not forget; we say that injustice does not prosper.
ISRAEL IS A TERRORIST STATE
Israel is carrying out a clear genocide against the Palestinian people. It is our duty as human beings to give the strongest reaction to this oppression. Remaining silent to Israel’s massacres is to be complicit in this crime. Israel bombed the tent where journalists were staying in Khan Yunis. What is this if not banditry? Would a legitimate state act like this even in war? Is this not state terror? Israel is a terrorist state, there can be no other name for it. Israel is trying to make the Palestinians experience the second Nakba disaster. Israel is launching more bloody attacks every time. It intends to legitimize the massacres it commits by calling our brothers in Gaza and Palestine terrorists.
No one can tarnish the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people against the occupation by labeling it ‘terrorism’. No one can call the struggle of the Palestinian people terrorism. Our Palestinian brothers have become the pride of the people by defending their lands since October 7, 2023.
We hosted the people of Israel, the Jews, who were expelled from their lands 500 years ago, in these lands. What Turkey was then is the same as Turkey today. I invite all members of the international community, especially the UN Security Council, once again to stop the bloodshed and stand by the Palestinian people.
We will continue to extend our helping hand to the oppressed people of Gaza. As long as ceasefire efforts are sabotaged, it is difficult for lasting peace to come to our region. Peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution. It depends on the establishment of a free Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. I invite all members of the international community once again to stand by the Palestinian people.
Israel’s attacks are disrupting the efforts to combat ISIS.
NO INSTABILITY ALLOWED IN SYRIA
The Syrian people are fed up with pain, oppression and war. We cannot allow the opportunity to establish lasting stability in our entire region, not only in Syria, with the December 8 revolution to be wasted. Our silence should not lead some to very wrong ambitions. We are a country that acts with principles, not with hidden intentions in foreign policy. We are in unity of understanding and dialogue with Trump and Putin, especially on the territorial integrity of Syria.
We are an Asian and African country as much as we are a European country. We are increasing political contacts and consultations with Asian countries.
We have increased our efforts for the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people to be registered. We will continue this patiently until justice is done.
TURKEY SHOULD BE A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU
It has once again become clear that European security cannot be considered without Turkey. Turkey is ready to take responsibility for European security in the future as well.
We attach great importance to our 100 billion dollar trade target with the USA. I believe that our relations with America will flourish in every field with the contribution of our close friendship with President Trump in his second term.
We will strive to improve our relations with our friends in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are doing our best to prevent the commercial competition, which is intensifying through customs tariffs, from becoming destructive. With its economy resistant to shocks, Turkey will not only overcome this process without any problems, but will also be one of the winners of the new era. When we get rid of the scourge of terrorism, which has cost our country 40 years and billions of dollars of resources, we will achieve a very different momentum in the economy.
I would like to thank you in advance for your attendance and valuable contributions to the forum. I greet you with respect.”
Source: Hürriyet
