"Our sensitivity towards Syria has never been based on self-interest"
"Our sensitivity towards Syria has never been based on self-interest"
In a statement after the meeting of the presidential cabinet, President Erdogan said: "Anyone who is familiar with the 13-year history of events in Syria is the closest witness to Turkey's fierce struggle for a just world. We have repeatedly stated this from the very beginning: our sensitivity towards Syria has never been based on interests."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement to the press after a meeting of the President's cabinet held at the Presidential Complex.
Commenting on the issues discussed at the meeting, President Erdogan said: "At the beginning of my speech, I pray for God's mercy to our six heroes who died in our military helicopter that crashed during a training flight to Kechiborla, Isparta this morning. I would like to express my condolences to the families, loved ones, and comrades-in-arms of our martyrs and the Turkish armed forces, as well as condolences to the leader of our people.
"TURKEY IS PURSUING ITS GOALS CONFIDENTLY, DECISIVELY AND PATIENTLY"
We are realizing the age of Turkey day by day, taking steps inside and out. We took as a basis the important words of Master Nezhip Fazyl, which also define the mission of our office: "To leave behind cases like giant ones, you need to work like ants." We strive to perform our duties properly and leave behind deeds that will be remembered with kind prayers. The phrase "May God be pleased with him", uttered by our people from the bottom of their hearts, is for us the greatest reward, honor, pride and source of happiness.
Until today, we have served our country and our people, guided by the motto that serving the people is serving God. Now we are striving to ennoble Turkey in all areas through projects, investments, services and works that we open through diplomatic contacts and well-calculated strategic moves.
I would like to express this with great satisfaction: Turkey is breaking the chains on its legs and will break them one by one. Turkey implements its goals with self-confidence, determination and patience. Thanks to a strong democracy, a growing economy, well-established institutions, peaceful and active policies that change the course of world events, Turkey is shaping history and rewriting both its own history and the history of mankind. Praise Allah thousands of times that today we are stronger than yesterday, today we are freer than yesterday, today we are more respected than yesterday, today we are more confident than yesterday.
"WE WILL BRING NEW RECORDS AND NEW JOYS TO TURKEY."
Inshallah, tomorrow we will be in a much better position in all areas. We will continue to preserve and increase hope, despite the hopeless people who want to imprison our nation in shallow waters. We have never disappointed our nation in any period of our political life. We will not be ashamed of our beloved nation in the future, and we will not let our nation suffer from disappointment. As we have done for the last 22 years, we will make Turkey go from success to success, we will make it experience new records, new joys and new excitement.
As President of Turkey, I must once again emphasize one fact: 85 million of us are a great and wonderful family. We all dream of a happier, more prosperous, more powerful Turkey. We consider every goal we achieve as a cornerstone and a starting point for big goals. Every job we do, commission and bring to our cities stimulates our determination and increases our enthusiasm for new services and new projects. Love for the Motherland and the people in our hearts shines like the north star in the sky, and once again illuminates our path in our cause of great and powerful Turkey.
With the permission of Allah, this people has the power to overcome any obstacle and repel any attack. We have no doubt that much better days await us if we hold fast to our brotherhood, maintain an atmosphere of stability and trust, and our rear will be as healthy as an impregnable fortress. I believe that as a nation we will not allow those who want to confuse the steady movement of our country to interrupt or slow down its progress.
After the last cabinet meeting, we continued our work, dealing with a busy agenda in domestic and foreign policy. Together with our professors and opinion leaders, we took part in the 7th Religious Council, organized by the Presidium for Religious Affairs every five years. We hope that the council, which was held under the title "Religious services in a digitized world", will contribute to awakening in the fight against the threat of artificial religion promoted by global culture.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the craftsmen and craftswomen to whom we have awarded special prizes from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Living Treasures of Humanity Award.
I can say that I am particularly pleased to receive Sultan of Oman Haysem bin Tariq on November 28, who made his first official visit to Turkey from Oman at the head of State level. We have crowned this historic visit with the signing of 10 agreements in various fields. We appreciate Oman's constructive role in crisis management and look forward to working more closely with our Omani brothers and sisters in the future.
At the same time, on November 29, the day of solidarity with the Palestinian people, we took part in the 8th TRT World Forum, which has now become a brand in its field.
The 20th MUSIAD EXPO, organized under the motto "Global Trade is here", brought together businessmen, traders and entrepreneurs from 88 countries in our country. I once again congratulate the MUSIAD community, which has been working for the benefit of Turkey's economic, commercial and democratic rise since 1990.
"WE STOOD FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF SYRIA"
The most important events are taking place in our region, which can be described and analyzed only from the point of view of democracy and a turning point. The civil war, which has been going on for 13 years in neighboring Syria, has acquired a new dimension since yesterday. While Aleppo, Hama, Homs and finally Damascus came under the control of their original owners; the Baathist dictatorship, which had endured 61 years of bloodshed, brutality, oppression and tyranny, completely collapsed. We welcome the cleansing of Tell Rifaat and Manbij from terrorists, which have been under the occupation of the separatist organization for many years, despite the promises made. Of course, the fact that the old regime left some cities to the Syrian branch of the separatist terrorist organization, even when it left, once again confirmed the dirty alliance between them.
The Assad regime, on which the main opposition in our country did not lose hope until the last moment, did not for a moment abandon its "anti-Turkish" position during this process. Our calls for a solution to the Syrian conflict through dialogue were arrogantly rejected by the old regime, and the hand extended by our country was not appreciated and its meaning was not understood. Assad fled Syria, leaving behind Syria, in which almost 1 million people were killed, 12 million people were forced to migrate, and many cities were reduced to ruins. The truth that "no one can be offended by oppression" has once again manifested itself in Syria.
I would like our country and the international community to know the following: From the very beginning of the Syrian conflict, Turkey has been exactly fulfilling the requirements of the neighboring law and the great state. We stood for peace, freedom, dialogue, justice and the speedy restoration of peace in Syria. Despite the hostile attitude of the overthrown regime, we defended the protection of the territorial integrity and unitary structure of Syria under all circumstances. Of course, we have never been shy about raising our voice and reacting against injustice, lawlessness, oppression and persecution, but we have never turned this into open hostility or blind hostility. Everyone who knows the 13-year history of events in Syria is the closest witness to Turkey's sincere struggle for a just world.
"TURKEY DOES NOT ENCROACH ON THE TERRITORY AND SOVEREIGNTY OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY"
As of yesterday, the dark period in Syria has ended and the light period has begun. Turkey perceives events from the point of view of a state that has crystallized as a result of millennia of experience, and looks at the situation in Syria from a very broad point of view. Today I have to repeat some parameters once again: Turkey does not encroach on the territory and sovereignty of any other country. The sole purpose of our cross-border operations is to protect our homeland and our citizens from terrorist attacks.
Neither the PKK and its units in Syria, nor DAESH are interlocutors of our country, on the contrary, they are its enemies. The territorial integrity of Syria must be protected absolutely, unconditionally. Syria belongs to the Syrians with all their ethnic, religious and confessional characteristics. It is the Syrian people who will determine the present and future of Syria. As their neighbors and brothers, we must resolutely support the efforts of the Syrian people to rebuild, rebuild and revive their country. I repeat: Syria, in which all Syrians live in peace, regardless of whether they are Arabs, Turkmen, Kurds, Sunnis, Alawites, Muslims or Christians, is Turkey's greatest desire, dream and goal. This should never be forgotten: A stabilized Syria will be a source of confidence for both its own citizens and for other countries in the region.
"TURKEY WILL NOT TOLERATE THE EMERGENCE OF NEW TERRORIST GANGS OUTSIDE ITS BORDERS"
The security of neighboring countries depends on the security and stability of Syria. On the other hand, we are closely monitoring the overzealous position of the Syrian branch of the separatist organization, which seeks to turn unrest into an opportunity. I want to remind those who make other calculations in their minds: this is very important, our ancestors said well, the more tricks the jackal knows, the more the wolf knows the way. Turkey will not tolerate the appearance of new terrorist boils beyond its borders. No one has the right to inflict new pain, new troubles and new tragedies on our Syrian brothers and sisters, who have been subjected to various kinds of persecution for 13 years.
From here, I would like to address the brotherly Syrian people: "Dear Syrian brothers and sisters, Turkey and the Turkish people are with you today and tomorrow, as they were yesterday. Despite all the impossibilities, you wrote the epic with your blood, life, teeth and nails. You have never bowed to oppression and oppressors. Even in the most difficult times, you did not give in to despair. From the very first day, you have always said: "Allah is Great," "He is Merciful and Merciful," "He is the Lord of the worlds," you trusted only in Him, only turned to Him for help. You got up from where you fell, much stronger. Thus, you have signed a wonderful story of heroism that will be proudly passed down from generation to generation.
Brothers, remember, men sabera zafera, you are the real owner of this glorious victory, that "defeats grow out of defeat." On behalf of my country and people, I respectfully greet you, wish you good luck and blessings in case of your victory. Just as we have not left you alone in your struggle for freedom and justice, I hope that we will support you in your struggle for development with all our means. We will give from heart to heart, overcome difficulties and troubles together. I want you to know that we are ready to do everything in our power to achieve lasting peace, stability and security in Syria. Today, I once again remember with mercy the martyrs who died for the liberation of Syria after the massacre in Hama.
I greet all my brothers and sisters who are shedding tears of joy, praying, kneeling in gratitude and experiencing the happiness of being reunited with their homes, families and loved ones after many years in the liberated cities of Syria.