Türkiye wants to establish belt of peace in the region: Erdoğan

ANKARA

The main objective of Türkiye is to establish a belt of peace and cooperation in its region with the inclusion of the neighboring countries, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, suggesting that it cannot turn its back to the bordering states.

“We want to establish and develop the best, most advanced and sincerest relations with every country and people. We aim to establish a ‘belt of peace and cooperation’ around us starting with our close neighbors,” Erdoğan said at a ceremony held at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy late Aug. 22.

“We are determined to rip apart the straitjacket deliberately put on our region by some on the basis of infighting and animosity,” he said, while underlining that “Türkiye does not harbor animosity toward anyone or any country.”

Recalling Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to normalize the relations with a number of regional countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Armenia and Saudi Arabia, Erdoğan said “We have put our relations with countries, with which we had disagreements over certain matters, back on track on the basis of win-win and mutual respect.”

Türkiye has also played an important role in mediating between Ukraine and Russia since the latter’s invasion of the former’s territories started on Feb. 24, Erdoğan underlined, “We have highlighted Türkiye’s mediator role in a much more robust manner in the Russia-Ukraine war. We have given our country a say and influence over regional and global matters and elevated it to a strategic position that holds the key to a solution.”

Sitting in a turbulent region with constant conflicts and instabilities, Türkiye continues to impress many thanks to its diplomatic, economic and military accomplishments, the president maintained, slamming those who criticize the government’s active engagement with Palestine, Syria or Libya.

“Those who criticize Türkiye’s relations with Palestine, Syria, Iraq or any other friendly and brotherly countries, are unaware not only of Türkiye’s geographical location, but also of its historical and social depth,” he said.

HH Erdoğan aims Putin-Zelensky meet

Speaking after the weekly cabinet meeting late Aug. 22, Erdoğan repeated his objective of gathering Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in Türkiye for a ceasefire.

Recalling that he met Putin in Sochi on Aug. 5 and Zelensky in Lviv on Aug. 18, Erdoğan stressed “Our objective is to pave the way for permanently resolving this crisis by bringing Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky together in Türkiye in the not-too-distant future.”