We will not allow public order to be violated

In his speech after the presidential cabinet meeting, President Erdoğan said, referring to the recent refugee incidents: “Public order is the red line of our state. We will not allow this red line to be violated or transgressed under any pretext.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoan held a press conference following the presidential cabinet meeting at the presidential complex.

“UNLESS ISRAELI AGGRESSION IS STOPPED, NO STATE WILL FEEL SAFE”

President Erdoğan highlighted Turkey's strategic position at the intersection of three continents: “The Syrian crisis, which has lasted for 13 years, has affected our region the most. We are also one of the regions that feels the negative repercussions of the war between Russia and Ukraine the most. The massacres committed by Israel in Gaza since October 7, which amount to genocide, hurt our hearts. The warming of the waters in the Eastern Mediterranean due to the Israeli attacks on Gaza worries us and the brotherly countries of the region to the utmost. We see that Israel, supported militarily, diplomatically and politically by the Western powers, has its eyes fixed on its neighboring countries. The increase in attacks and the threatening language towards Lebanon seriously worry us for the future of our region.”

President Erdoğan stressed that as long as the Western world supports him and the Islamic world remains silent, the murderer called Netanyahu will continue his occupation policy at the risk of engulfing the entire region in fire: “We, as Turkey, have emphasized this point since day one. We have repeatedly warned that the Gaza crisis will not be limited to Gaza and that Israel’s oppression will have much more serious consequences. We have emphasized from every platform that Israel has expansionist goals. The missile tension in Iran and the escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon have unfortunately justified our concerns. I must reiterate my warning. We are facing a murderer who cannot even meet the minimum requirements of a statesman, who has become mad and a slave to his ambitions, and who has lost his mind and conscience. If Israel’s aggression under the Netanyahu administration is not stopped, no country in the region, including Turkey, can feel safe.” This is the case for all countries, especially for Israel's neighbors, Lebanon and Syria. As I have already said, we cannot consider the security of Gaza, Al-Quds, Ramallah, Beirut, Amman or Baghdad as different from the security of Ankara. This is how we set and determine our security priorities. We also plan our foreign policy actions based on these facts.

“TURKEY IS NOT AND WILL NOT BE A STATE THAT ABANDONES ITS FRIENDS”

“We are going through a period when we must prioritize dialogue and diplomacy at the highest level. It is essential for us to strengthen the foundations of mutual dialogue, especially with countries with which we share the same geography and destiny. Given the current regional and international situation, it is of the utmost importance for us to strengthen solidarity among Islamic countries and resolve differences of opinion. We cannot allow the past to hinder the future. In this spirit, we are working to advance our relations with all actors in the region. We have witnessed the concrete results of these efforts on many issues. In addition, we have worked hard to find a political solution to the conflict that has raged for more than 13 years and has cost more than a million lives in Syria. We have brought the regime and the opposition together on a common basis through the Astana process. In addition, we have strived to avoid further bloodshed and conflict by other means. We have also achieved positive results on the ground on various issues.”

President Erdoğan stressed that there are other steps that can be taken to contribute to peace and tranquility. “We have no ambitions over anyone’s land or sovereignty. Turkey’s priority is to protect Syria’s territorial integrity and national unity. It is Turkey that has dealt the hardest blow to ISIS and the terrorist state that the PKK has tried to establish along our southern borders. This is because we want to see a democratic, prosperous and strong Syria as our neighbor rather than a Syria plagued by instability and terrorist states. We want more than anyone else for Syria to become a safe haven for millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes. The sooner such an atmosphere is established, the better it will be for everyone, especially the Syrian people. We seek to broaden the common ground instead of deepening the differences.” We believe that there is a great benefit in unclenching fists in foreign policy as well as in domestic policy. “We do not hesitate to discuss with whoever is necessary for this purpose, as we have done in the past. We will certainly defend Turkey's interests while doing so, but we will never disappoint those who have trusted us and relied on us throughout this process. Turkey is not and will not be a state that abandons its friends.”

“WE WILL NOT GIVE IN TO HATE SPEECH AND RACIST VANDALISM”

President Erdoğan stressed that the Turkish nation will never turn a blind eye to incidents that are incompatible with its faith, culture and civilization. “Public order is the red line of our state. We will not allow this red line to be violated under any circumstances. We are safe from plots to create chaos in the streets. We clearly remember the price our country had to pay in the past at the hands of agents of influence and provocateurs. This time, the same plot of chaos was fomented in Kayseri through an extremely disgusting and flagrant case of abuse in Kayseri. The second act of this plot was staged against the Turkish presence and interests in northern Syria. We know very well who fomented this plot and who was its pawn, which was created by using the remnants of the separatist terrorist organization and their accomplices. Neither we, nor our nation, nor our Syrian brothers will fall into this insidious trap. Let me stress once again that we will not give in to hate speech, fascism, racist vandalism and provocations.