Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered journalists' questions and made evaluations regarding the agenda on his return flight after his visit to Spain and Italy.
Erdoğan stated the following in his remarks;
''As you know, we were in Madrid on 12-14 June for the Türkiye-Spain 8th Intergovernmental Summit. On the first day, I met with King Felipe VI of Spain and had a private dinner with him, along with our colleague Mehmet Şimşek. The next day, together with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, we chaired the "Intergovernmental High-Level Strategic Council Meeting," with the participation of our ministers, where we reviewed our relations in all aspects. We took important decisions to deepen our cooperation on the basis of a comprehensive partnership that defines our relations. We also jointly opened the business forum attended by businesspeople from both countries, with Mr. Sanchez.''
''It was a meeting attended by about 400 businessmen from Türkiye and Italy. At the summit, we increased our new trade volume target from 20 billion dollars to 25 billion euros with the joint declaration we announced at the end. We strengthened the contractual basis of our relations with 12 agreements signed in various fields. In the meantime, TCG Anadolu was the symbol of our defense industry cooperation with Spain. With the discussions we have had, we have now decided to move to a higher segment of this and have taken the first step. The project studies are already being carried out by our Naval Forces Command on behalf of the Presidency of Defense Industries and the Turkish Armed Forces. Spain is among the countries that are aware of Türkiye's strategic importance for Europe and the Union within the European Union. We have conveyed our expectations regarding our full membership process to Prime Minister Sanchez.''
''With my dear friend Sanchez, we also discussed regional issues. The massacre in Gaza was at the top of our agenda. I shared our satisfaction with his decision to recognize Palestine. Mr. Sanchez's support for the popular struggle of the Palestinian people, despite all pressures, is commendable. We will hopefully continue to act in solidarity with Spain in resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict. The European Parliament elections justified our concerns about racist and fascist movements. Unfortunately, Muslims and immigrants in Europe are facing tougher times ahead. As two countries implementing the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, we expressed our common concerns about Islamophobic and xenophobic trends. We are entering the 20th year of the Alliance of Civilizations, and we will prepare jointly for its 20th anniversary. Within the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations, which we will reach the 20th anniversary next year, we will also review the possibilities for organizing activities emphasizing dialogue and mutual understanding. I believe that our 8th Intergovernmental Summit and our consultations in Madrid will make significant contributions to strengthening our relations with Spain.''
''After our visit to Madrid, we went to Italy in response to the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Here, we participated in the Leaders' Summit hosted by Italy, the current chair of the G20. We shared our views with our counterparts at the High-Level Sessions on Africa and the Mediterranean, as well as on Artificial Intelligence and Energy, held on the margins of the summit. We exchanged ideas about the multifaceted threats and challenges facing our region. Specifically regarding Gaza, I once again clearly stated that the current international system and institutions are failing to fulfill their primary duties. I pointed out that it is possible for humanity to live in a much fairer world that listens to the voices of the oppressed. On the margins of the summit, I also had bilateral meetings with some G7 and invited country leaders. In my address to the summit, I once again called for an urgent and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.''
''It is gratifying to see that our feelings, concerns, and objections are shared with Spain in the face of Israel's massacres that disregard international law. Particularly regarding the recognition of Palestine as a state, Spain has proven to be a lighthouse guiding the ship of humanity through the pitch-black night. Spain's calls that stir the conscience of humanity and its bold and determined actions have reinforced this. However, for the ship of humanity to continue on its course safely, new lighthouses are needed. Our alignment with Spain on the Palestine issue is important for the following reasons: Spain is a member of the European Union and, in addition to being a European Union member, it is also a country with which we are together in NATO.
Spain's heartfelt support for Palestine's legitimate resistance in the face of Israel's disregard for international law, and the subsequent fractures among some European countries, is of great importance. I believe that Spain's stance on recognizing Palestine as a state will lead to further divisions among the countries that somehow support Israel. In our brief discussions with Sanchez, he expressed the view that "more will follow." To pass the test of humanity regarding Palestine, more countries need to boldly say "stop" to Israel and side with peace. When countries like Spain take this step, the number of countries siding with peace will hopefully increase. Both we and Spain, along with our other friends, must continue to promise peace to humanity and intensify our efforts for it.''
''(The UN Security Council's ceasefire resolution) If you pay attention to the steps taken by the United Nations Security Council so far, the United States has always been a key factor. Most likely, it will be the same in this case. This is exactly the point our "the world is bigger than five" thesis is indicating. Because when it comes to decisions that need to be taken against Israel, the United States blocks the United Nations Security Council. My concern with the current ceasefire decision is that the Council will be blocked again somehow. However, regardless of that, the most important step for us is the decisions made by the United Nations General Assembly rather than the Security Council. What did nearly 150 countries do in the positive decisions made by the United Nations General Assembly? They thought as we did and stood with Palestine. We need to take these further. If we achieve this, this approach will hopefully also bring the United Nations Security Council to a certain point over time. Actually, the current situation is also an opportunity for the United Nations.
If the UN wants to regain the credibility that has been destroyed by lawless countries, especially Israel, it needs to seize this opportunity. Stopping Israel will not only ensure peace in Gaza but also suppress Israel's attacks against the UN system, international law, and human rights. This responsibility primarily lies on the shoulders of the United Nations Security Council members. If we do not want the UN to end up like the League of Nations, we must ensure this. As we always say, the path to ultimate peace in the region lies in a two-state solution. This formula will bring about a permanent solution. The Security Council members' recognition of Palestine as a state can change the climate in the region.''
''(Regarding the U.S.'s three-stage ceasefire plan) At first glance, we are pleased with this announcement. However, it is not enough to sway the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to side with Palestine. We need to pay particular attention to this. I believe that the United States is also uncomfortable with Israel's increasing arrogance. Even though the American administration does not openly express this discomfort, the voices rising from American universities, streets, students, and rectors indicate that a certain transformation has begun. This is seriously unsettling Israel. Everyone is now certain that this situation cannot continue as it is. Hopefully, the atmosphere will change significantly with the upcoming elections in the U.S. After Biden's announcement, there have been statements from us and many other countries around the world on this matter. Hopefully, we will all take the right steps together, and the decisions made by the United Nations Security Council on this issue will develop in a much different direction. It is naturally expected that Mr. Biden will prove that this plan is not an election tactic, but a genuine and sincere effort to end the massacres in Palestine. A Security Council decision is a step, but it is not sufficient. We all know how many decisions on paper have been disregarded by Israel. Mr. Biden is now undergoing a test of sincerity.''
''(Regarding the PKK's alleged local election plan in Syria) First of all, let's clarify that there is no election. There is a scheme set up to legitimize the terrorist organization and establish a terrorist state in the region. We have clearly demonstrated in previous processes how skilled we are at disrupting such schemes. Of course, the Syrian administration will definitely not allow them to take comfortable steps or act freely in this regard. Our Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, was in Moscow. He thoroughly discussed these issues with Mr. Putin in Moscow. He also had meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Lavrov. The PKK terrorist organization and others will hopefully not have the opportunity to act freely in Syria. In such a situation, we will mobilize our relevant units as necessary. We will not allow a terrorist state to be established right under our nose. We will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to prevent this.''
''(Supply of Eurofighter jets) We discussed this issue with Mr. Sanchez. As you know, Spain's training aircraft are significant. They have the chance or capability to provide us with these training aircraft. I also mentioned to them the possibility of assisting us in this matter by contacting Germany. He indicated that he could hold such a meeting regarding the Eurofighter. But above all, the Eurofighter is important for us right now. Germany has also become more amenable in this regard. Our relevant ministers are holding and will hold necessary discussions with their counterparts. Our fundamental approach is clear: we would like to meet our needs primarily from our NATO allies. However, if a negative outcome is reached at the end of the process, we are not without alternatives. Our KAAN has now taken flight. In the future, after the start of mass production and the completion of the entry process into the inventory, we will no longer have any issues in this regard. We went through a similar process with unmanned aerial vehicles in the past. At that time, we were unable to obtain them from our allies. What happened then? We produced our unmanned aerial vehicles with the highest quality. Now, many countries are knocking on Türkiye's door to acquire them.''
"At the moment, I can confidently say that the tide is in our favor, especially in our steps with European Union member countries. Regarding this issue, most of the parties participating in the European Parliament elections from the European Union currently acknowledge how justified Türkiye is. For example, one of them is Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez. He expressed his appreciation for Türkiye's stance. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also demonstrates a positive attitude in this regard. He is also among those favorably disposed towards Türkiye. We will focus on our work. During this process, Türkiye has opportunities in Germany, the UK, and France. We will continue to utilize these opportunities by standing strong. We have been pointing out the looming danger for a long time. We have explained to our counterparts that rising racism, especially in Europe, is a danger and should not be allowed.
Countries that have opened their streets and squares to insults to people's sanctities, to xenophobia, and have patted their backs when it suited them, are now facing the reality they have ignored. This is exactly what we often refer to as the boomerang effect. It is essential for Europe to act with the understanding of 'prevention is better than cure' and to implement realistic measures. Otherwise, this fire will reach a point where it burns everyone. A similar danger exists in terms of terrorism. I repeat our call to Europe before it's too late. Let's come together to combat all forms of terrorism indiscriminately. Let's permanently remove the scourge of terrorism from our agenda together."
''(Inflation target) We will wait for the last quarter of the year. Hopefully, these will be fully visible in the last quarter of the year. We are currently keeping a close eye on the matter. But it all comes back to the issue of interest rates. Hopefully, with the steps we will take in interest rates, we will have brought inflation to a much more positive position in the last quarter. Indeed, the policies aimed at balancing the economy are bearing fruit. The current account deficit has decreased significantly. As of May, our annual exports exceeded $260 billion. The decline in our imports continues in the same way. Our Central Bank reserves reached a historic high of $146.2 billion. The increase in reserves will continue. We are also not compromising in our fight against exorbitant price increases and profiteering, which are factors triggering cost of living increases. We will not allow those who exploit the people's food and bread. We will manage this critical process with sensitivity, maintaining fiscal discipline, promoting savings in the public sector, and increasing oversight."
