Turkey taking steps for security zone on Syria border: Erdoğan

ANKARA

Turkey is taking steps to establish a 30 kilometer security zone south of its border with Syria against the threat posed by the PKK/YPG terror group, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on June 4. 

"Our security area is made of the area 30 kilometers inwards from the border. We don't want to be disturbed in this area," Erdoğan said addressing AKP’s 30th Consultation and Assessment Meeting.

Commencing his address by greeting the participants, President Erdoğan stated that the two-day meeting would address a wide range of topics including the parliament’s works, security, foreign policy, economy, agriculture and energy.

Noting that the last consultation and assessment meeting was held in October 2019, followed by a mandatory break due to the pandemic, President Erdoğan said: “Thank Allah, we as the country and nation have overcome that difficult period with the least loss. I hereby wish Allah’s mercy upon our nearly 99 thousand citizens who died from Covid-19 and extend my health wishes on behalf of myself and my nation to our nearly 15 million citizens who survived the disease. I pray to Allah for our country and the world to be never again challenged by such calamities. The wise stance Turkey has displayed in that period has once again revealed the importance of the works and services we have introduced in our country over the past 20 years.”

Drawing attention to Turkey’s success in dealing with global crises, President Erdoğan stressed: “As the global security and economy architecture is being reshaped, Turkey shows its difference and power in every area. With our principled stance on NATO’s enlargement, we have reminded everyone of the importance of our position within NATO.”