Ankara to resolve safe zone formation in few weeks: Erdoğan

ESKİŞEHİR

Turkey has been spoiling every trap set on its way in Syria and will resolve the issues in the planned safe zone in the east of River Euphrates in a few weeks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sept. 7.

“We have partially spoiled the trap set towards our country in Syria. Now, we have the east of Euphrates on our agenda. We will absolutely solve this in a few weeks, one way or another,” Erdoğan said.

The president was delivering a speech in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, where he was addressing ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) members. Before the event, Erdoğan inaugurated the Odunpazarı Contemporary Museum in the province.

Erdoğan conveyed that he and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump will “most likely” meet during the United Nations General Assembly. “We have previously talked about these issues [Syria] on phone but we will discuss these, face to face, again.”

“We will talk about what kind of steps we will take in the east of Euphrates. Because what’s being said and done contradict each other. Thus, we need to solve this,” he said.

“If terrorist organizations like the YPG/PYD are being trained in eastern Syria, it is not possible for us to accept this. Over 30,000 trucking rigs and armory were sent to this region over Iraq by the U.S. Why would these come here? Who will they fight?” he added.

Turkey cannot stay silent toward this, Erdoğan stressed.

The president once again underlined that the possible migration flock from Idlib in northwest Syria towards Turkey is not a burden the latter can bear on its own.

“We said, ‘Either you share this burden, or we will open our borders.’ We have spent some $40 billion, but received 3 billion euros from the EU,” he added.

How will Turkey bear the burden of 4 million refugees, Erdoğan asked.

“If things do not work out, there is no choice other than opening the borders. Are we always going to think about this? Let them think about this for once,” Erdoğan said, referring to the European Union, whom he accuses of not helping with the care of Syrian refugees.

Some 350,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled in locations Turkey has secured, the president said. He added that the planned safe zone between Turkey and the U.S. can also function in resettling Syrians to secure places, but no country has agreed to provide support for such a plan.

“If the safe zone fails to be established, we cannot overcome this. We plan to settle at least 1 million people when our safe zone works conclude in the east of Euphrates. This is our matter,” he added.

The return of Syrian refugees will become more frequent as security will be established in the war-torn country’s many regions, the president stressed.

“Thus, the social and economic problems Turkey has been experiencing due to this migration flock will be resolved autochthonously,” he stressed.

‘Turkey has ground to cover in many areas’

Regarding Turkey’s domestic problems, the president underlined that the country has lots of ground to cover, from security to economy, in an urgent manner.

“From security to economy, Turkey promptly has ground to cover. But, we have overcome many similar problems, as we transformed Turkey into one of the strongest countries of its region and the world,” Erdoğan said.

As interest rates will decrease, inflation will follow the decline, according to Erdoğan.

“The stability in the exchange rates have been ensured. Employment is increasing and our exports are hitting record numbers,” he said, hinting the ameliorating state of the Turkish economy.

“We have serious opportunities in front of us. We are closer to making our country a design, production and trade center of the world, more than ever,” he added.