President Erdoğan's message: "Türkiye without terrorism"

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made assessments on current events and answered questions from journalists on his return from his visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to mark the 51st anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation.

President Erdoğan said, "We have concluded our visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which we paid upon the invitation of President Ersin Tatar on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. We participated in the July 20th Peace and Freedom Day celebrations in Nicosia, once again sharing the enthusiasm and joy of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters. The Cyprus Peace Operation, which we launched 51 years ago within the framework of our rights and obligations arising from international agreements, shattered the dream of enosis. Our heroic Armed Forces, with the support of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters and the mujahideen, brought peace and tranquility to the island, ending the bloodshed and tears that had been shed since 1963. Indeed, not a drop of blood has been shed on the island for half a century. This atmosphere of peace will continue for many more years with Türkiye's determined support. Turkish Cypriots will live freely in their own homeland forever. On the occasion of my visit, I also met with TRNC President Ersin Tatar." We have reiterated our support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We have supported the vision of a two-state solution in Cyprus and reaffirmed the fact that there are two distinct peoples and two distinct states on the island. Meanwhile, we continue and will continue our efforts to ensure the prosperity of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is supported in every area it needs through economic and financial cooperation agreements. We held the opening and groundbreaking ceremonies for several facilities at the Republic Campus, which opened in May. Among these, the New Nicosia State Hospital, whose foundation we laid, will, God willing, constitute one of the largest healthcare investments on the island. With the Nicosia Northern Ring Road Interchange and the 4.5-kilometer section we inaugurated, we have completed a significant portion of the total 21-kilometer project. This project, completed in less than a year, will not only reduce traffic congestion in Nicosia but also accelerate the connection of Güzelyurt and Lefke to Ercan International Airport. The New Maraş Health Center, which we opened today, will facilitate access to healthcare for the local population in its 1,000-square-meter enclosed area. As witnessed today, "As the Motherland and guarantor, we will continue to support the Turkish Cypriots in their steps towards a prosperous future. As I conclude my remarks with these thoughts, I once again wholeheartedly congratulate our July 20 Peace and Freedom Day," he said.

"Just as they do not accept the TRNC as a state, we do not accept Southern Cyprus as a state either."

When asked about the Greek Cypriot Leader inviting him to the South during the EU presidency, President Erdoğan said, "I have no intention of such a visit to the South. Because just as they do not recognize the TRNC as a state, we do not recognize Southern Cyprus as a state. Therefore, such a meeting with them has no place in my book. These are marginal initiatives that do not reflect the will of the Turkish Cypriot people. Turkish Cypriots are a part of our soul. No one can damage this bond of affection between us; no one can call the heroic sons of Türkiye, who went to the island of Cyprus only for peace, 'occupiers.' The Turkish Cypriot people do not even question the guarantorship of the motherland Türkiye and its legitimate presence on the island. The treachery committed while historical facts and our national memory are evident will of course be punished by the Turkish Cypriot people at the ballot box. The Greek Cypriot side has repeatedly shown that it does not want a solution. They do not want equality and justice; they want to make Turkish Cypriots pariahs in their own homeland. Some unintelligent people are openly facilitating this. The key to a solution in Cyprus is a two-state system." "It is a solution; there will be no compromise on this. Türkiye's Cyprus policy is clear; we will not participate in any process that does not guarantee the sovereign equality and security of the Turkish Cypriot people," he said.

"Israel is constantly trying to set the entire region on fire."

President Erdoğan, noting that Syrian President Ahmed Shara has maintained a firm stance there, said, "There is no question of any concessions so far. Israel is constantly trying to set the entire region on fire. In the face of this effort, Syria's stance has led to a cautious process. Syria is taking control of the region with approximately 2,500 troops. With the latest steps, they have established control. Thus, dominance has been established in the South. The Syrian people, with all their segments, have learned from the suffering they have experienced in the past and are definitely not considering falling for these tricks. They have achieved reconciliation between the Druze and the other segments here. Syrian President Ahmed Shara has taken a very positive step here, in my opinion. I discussed this stance with him in my phone call. We learned from him what he demands from us and what he does not. We also said that we will provide them with all kinds of support. Our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is in constant talks with the Special Representative of the United States and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Similarly, our MIT Director İbrahim Kalın and the Minister of National Defense Our Minister Yaşar Güler is also meeting with his counterparts. The latest in the region, a 2,500-person force equipped with light weapons was allowed to go to Sweida. Meetings have been ongoing in Amman for two days. Tribal leaders, the Jordanians, and the US Special Representative are in constant contact with us. Sweida is surrounded. There's a problem with allowing troops to enter. Currently, two of the three Druze branches are extremely harmonious, while one of them is operating with Israel. They are not abandoning their subversion. That's why clashes continue from time to time inside. Police and soldiers cannot enter; they are confined to the city. At least they've prevented external elements from coming in. In the ongoing negotiations in Amman, with the exception of that one Druze faction we mentioned, the parties have voluntarily said "yes" to abiding by the ceasefire. In fact, a very constructive atmosphere has emerged regarding the Syrian issue. While all the actors who cannot come together on Syria are coming together, it's necessary to explain to the world that Israel is disrupting this stability project. We are doing this. We believe we've explained this. The Americans, in particular, understand the need to take more ownership of this issue. The fundamental problem is the conflict between the parties. But an even bigger strategic problem is Israel's attempt to occupy the region, using this conflict as an excuse. As you know, Israel doesn't want stability in the region. It believes a unified Syria wouldn't be good for it, and it continues these kinds of provocations.

We are on high alert against all acts of sabotage and structures that would hinder our goal of a "Türkiye without terrorism."

President Erdoğan, stating that they continue to take steps to achieve our goal of a "Terror-Free Turkey," said, "Progress continues towards this ultimate goal. We are extremely careful to prevent the process from being affected by provocations. We are on high alert against all sabotage and structures that would hinder our goal of a "Terror-Free Turkey." As you know, disarmament has begun. Our relevant colleagues are doing the necessary follow-up and establishing contacts. As far as I know, the discussions regarding the commission have also reached their final stage. You will soon witness progress on the floor of the Parliament. We are determined to build a future without terrorism. We know very clearly what we will do to achieve our goal, how we will do it, and where we will ultimately arrive. The events taking place in our region once again demonstrate the accuracy of this step we have taken. Imrali has given and continues to give all kinds of support on this issue. This dimension of the matter is very, very important. The YPG's stance can change at any time. It is also important how this approach will reflect on the SDF, which is an extension of theirs. In recent developments, the stance of Syrian President Shara has In my opinion, they have eliminated any negative associations between them. We are determined; we will not leave Ahmed Shara alone in Syria. We do not want Syria to be fragmented, and we see Syria's recovery as a positive development for our country. Syria's recovery will also have a positive impact on our relations with them. We are seeing the voluntary return of Syrians in our country. However, there was hopelessness that they would not return. Now they have begun their voluntary return. We will provide every support to accelerate these voluntary returns. With the acceleration of these returns, we want Syria to return to normal quickly, and we want to secure our South."

"Our goal is to be completely self-sufficient in the field of defense."

President Erdoğan stated that when we came to power, they made intense efforts to make up for lost time in the defense industry. He said, "The effective steps we took and the seeds we planted have yielded productive results. Our current position is important, but in our opinion, it is not enough. We are planning and rapidly taking steps that will strengthen our power. Our defense industry companies' infrastructure initiatives and investments in nanotechnology facilities continue. Our goal is to be fully self-sufficient in the field of defense. A "fully independent Turkey" cannot be achieved with slogans. It can be achieved with such visionary steps and efforts. We must act with the awareness that "better is always possible, and we can do it." As you know, we built KAAN and walked along the runway with a reserve pilot. We have built and are continuing to build AKINCI, ALTAY, HÜRJET, ATAK, TCG ANADOLU, and many more. We have done things as BAYKAR. We have done things outside of BAYKAR. With its unmanned aerial vehicles, Turkey is now a country making a name for itself globally. This is a very important issue for us." On the other hand, when you look at armored carriers, we're in a very good position. Requests are coming in one after another. Turkey holds a very important position at sea, just like frigates. Orders are constantly coming in. We're currently unable to keep up with them. We have significant orders from many countries, even Pakistan. As you know, we've built our multi-purpose amphibious assault ship, the TCG ANADOLU. Now we're in talks with the Spanish to build a second one, a larger version. They say, "We're definitely in." We hope to complete this new aircraft carrier in two to three years and continue our journey with it. We've discussed this with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He says, "We're in." God willing, we'll achieve this with the Spanish. This will complete the upper segment of our ship. We're currently taking steps with the UK and Germany regarding the purchase of jet aircraft. The UK and Germans are also positive on this matter. I believe, God willing, that we will receive our jet aircraft as soon as possible. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor "During my conversations with Friedrich Merz, I saw that they have a positive outlook on the issue, and hopefully, we will take these steps," he said.

President Erdoğan said, "We shouldn't wait even a day to revitalize and advance Türkiye's membership negotiations. These developments need to happen now, without waiting for any new steps. We tell all our counterparts in the European Union that we firmly maintain our goal of full membership. Once the Union addresses this issue strategically and visionarily, there will be no obstacles preventing them from taking immediate action. The political barriers erected against Türkiye must be removed urgently. We expect EU countries to maintain relations with a fair and equitable approach. We also expect them to understand that advancing relations is impossible with the hesitant attitude we have seen so many times. When we consider the developments in Europe and its surrounding region, and the disagreements within the EU, the Union's need for a dynamic and solution-oriented member like Turkey becomes clear. As I have said before, Turkey is the last exit for the EU before the bridge. The world is changing, and Europe has already changed. Breaking free from the influence of outdated, obsessive political perspectives could be a step towards grasping the new era for the European Union and carrying it into the future. As Turkey, we are ready for full membership."

Referring to the massacre in Israel, President Erdoğan said, "The people of Gaza have not surrendered so far, and I believe they will not. Israel, on the other hand, is attacking everywhere like a ravenous monster and, God willing, will fall victim to this ambition. We have never let Gaza off our agenda, and we will not let it off our radar. We will continue to stand with Gaza. We are constantly following the steps of the United States on this matter. The US Secretary of State and our Foreign Minister, Mr. Hakan Fidan, are in constant discussions. The international community, which has consistently supported Israel, is no longer in a position to hide anything. Everyone agrees on what needs to be done. They have entered a spiral of desperation. They are seriously pressing for a ceasefire. There are currently three issues in the ceasefire negotiations. First, where and in which withdrawal zones will Israeli troops stay after the ceasefire? Second, Hamas and Israel have not yet reached a full agreement on how food aid will be distributed. Third, if a 60-day ceasefire is achieved, Israel must make a commitment to continue the ceasefire after the hostages are released." This is Hamas's demand. Israel also doesn't want to do this. The US, Egypt, and Qatar, with our support, are trying to find a middle ground. So, we're in a position where something like this shouldn't happen: The hostages were given, a 60-day ceasefire was established, and 60 days later, we're back to the current situation. If there's no commitment to the permanence of the ceasefire—in other words, if there's no coercive system—Hamas's acceptance will simply be a choice: whether to die today or in 60 days. Therefore, there's a serious negotiation process underway at this point," he said.

President Erdoğan stated that the Zangezur Corridor will benefit not only Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Türkiye, but also other countries in the region. He said, "We consider this line to be extremely important due to its geoeconomic dimension. Indeed, this line will connect regions beyond our region and stimulate trade. Our fundamental expectation is that this line will become a symbol of consensus, not a source of conflict. This will make the region a prosperous area where cooperation prevails. I believe that we, as countries in the region, can resolve this issue through consensus. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attaches great importance to Zangezur. He wants to prepare the line as soon as possible and utilize and utilize it for both Azerbaijan and the region. I believe that we will resolve this issue together."

"Despite the fires of war burning around us, we prioritize peace and stability under all circumstances."

President Erdoğan, also addressing the goal of a "Terror-Free Turkey," said, "We have presented a model that will serve as an example for our region and the world. Despite the fires of war burning around us, we prioritize peace and stability under all circumstances. While pursuing such an active policy abroad, we cannot ignore domestic issues. A Turkey with a strong domestic front will accelerate both its social and economic development. I've said it before. The scourge of terrorism has cost our country over $2 trillion. These resources will now be spent on more efficient, more economically value-added investments. They will go to workers, retirees, civil servants, industrialists, merchants, and farmers. In this way, we will prevent terrorism from gaining a foothold and, God willing, we will shift our economic resources not to the fight against terrorism but to production and technology, and we are continuing our efforts in this area with utmost importance. We will continue our journey relentlessly with the infrastructure investments we will make."

In response to a press member's question about the LGS exam, President Erdoğan said, "The academic success of Imam Hatip schools is steadily increasing, especially in the fields of science and social sciences. This situation seems to have disturbed some groups. There is only one explanation for the immoral slander campaign that has been going on for days; it is hostility towards Imam Hatip schools. It is truly unbearable. A person cannot lie so brazenly. Why are you insulting these children who have achieved so much success in the LGS? How can you target these children, who currently have such high success rates at Kartal Anatolian Imam Hatip and other Imam Hatip schools, with such photos? This is a grave act of rudeness. It is impossible to explain the success rate in the LGS with any corruption. 'There was support from left and right, this happened, that happened' are all lies, all slander. These children have achieved their results with the hard work of their hands and minds. But you see, you are denigrating the efforts of innocent children who are only 12-13 years old." It's being stolen. Look, this is exactly what we meant by "toxic politics." Politics shouldn't be conducted with the mindset of "sling mud and leave a mark," and even if it were, it wouldn't be called politics. May God forgive their mothers, fathers, and our nation. I'd also like to say this: We are handling the issue of exam security with the utmost sensitivity. Everyone knows how successful Türkiye is in exam security. If they have any dignity left, all they need to do is come out and publicly apologize to those innocent children and their families whom they lynched on social media. Otherwise, they will continue to be labeled as slanderers.

"The population issue is a strategic issue for our country. As a government, we will continue to take steps to encourage population growth."

President Erdoğan, making a statement regarding the designation of 2025 as the Year of the Family, said, "Currently, our Ministry of Family and Social Services is working intensively on this issue. Our fertility rate has fallen slightly below 1.5. This is not a good sign. We came here from the triple point. However, our goal was much different. But as of now, we are not in a good place. What can we do about this? I have instructed our Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, to intensify her work on this issue. We want to increase all our efforts on this issue. We should contact all universities. We are searching for the answer to the question, 'What can we do now to enter a recovery again?' The population issue is a strategic issue for our country. As the government, we will continue to take steps to encourage population growth. We have the social potential to achieve a new increase in fertility with the right incentives. Our 'Family and Population Decade' program not only provides financial support but also sociocultural projects that strengthen the family institution." "This year, as part of the 'Year of the Family,' our efforts to support the institution of the family continue unabated. Finally, a few days ago, we shared with the public the right to part-time work granted to both male and female civil servants after birth or adoption," he said.

UAV

Reporter: News Center