PM Yıldırım: European security starts with Turkey
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım addressed attendees of the 9th Ambassadors Conference in Ankara where he stressed that Europe's security starts with Turkey, while stressing the self-shouldering of the multi-dimensional counterterrorism fight in the country, noting: "Picking and choosing terrorist groups, one over another, is the biggest form of betrayal against world peace," the prime minister added. The second day of the ambassadors conference began with opening remarks from deputy prime ministers Nurettin Canikli and Numan Kurtulmuş. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak also addressed ambassadors during a closed-door session at the conference and the Turkish ambassadors attended a luncheon at Çankaya Palace with the Prime Minister Yıldırım.
During the luncheon, the prime minister addressed activities regarding "perception management" being directed against Turkey saying that "Despite overcoming the ‘cowardly' terror organization [referring to the Gülenist Terror Group [FETÖ]], worldwide campaigns in managing the perception other countries have of Turkey continue. Not only at the hands of this terror group [FETÖ] but also by the PKK terrorist organization; especially in Europe." Continuing his remarks by strongly criticizing EU member states and various institutions for their support of the terrorist PKK, Yıldırım said, "Choosing a terror group over another is the biggest form of betrayal against world peace."
Underlining that "terror groups are all monitored from a single center," the prime minister further touched on the necessity of Turkey's presence in the "multi-dimensional" combat against terror. "Turkey has to conduct a multi-dimensional combat against terror as it is under an asymmetric attack. ... Turkey makes significant efforts toward the establishment of stability in the region," Yıldırım added.
Continuing his remarks by urging European states to contribute to hosting refugees and combatting terror, Yıldırım said, "European countries speak freely but they must stop the talk and join us [on the ground], taking some weight off of our shoulders. Terrorist threats should not be shouldered solely by Turkey. Europe's security starts with Turkey. If Turkey is not secure, then Europe would not be safe at all." Addressing combat against FETÖ, the Turkish prime minister said that combat against FETÖ is the primary issue for Turkey as he urged the ambassadors to remain fearless in the fight against FETÖ. Analogous to Yıldırım's remarks, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also said prior to the opening of the luncheon that the conference will address the government's counterterrorism efforts foremost against FETÖ. "Our friends [ambassadors] from various countries will share with us the necessary strategies to be taken against FETÖ. We have global aims and have domestic policies toward reaching those goals," Çavuşoğlu said.
‘Deputy PM warns against two global threats: Terrorism and migration'Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said that Turkey will overcome all terror groups and respond to all global actors that aim to reshape the Middle East: "We will respond to those global actors who try to reshape the Middle East through terror groups. Turkey has to thwart the plots made against the people of this geographical region for their sovereignty," he added. Kurtulmuş also said yesterday that everyone must, "open their eyes to the two major global threats, "terrorism and migration." As he called upon the Western states to develop a "fair" and "equal" relationship with the rest of the world to eradicate global terrorism, Kurtulmuş criticized the Obama administration for not establishing a peace plan, asserting that he holds the U.S. responsible for the Syrian crisis reaching this point.
He said developments in countries like Syria, Somalia and Iraq first affected the surrounding areas of the region and later the entire world, noting that Syria in particular has turned into a "global matter." Kurtulmuş further noted that a dialogue of peace must be established throughout the world saying, "Rather than perceiving global migration and terrorism as only a periodic threat, we must come together and consider the causes and effectively eradicate them."
During the luncheon, the prime minister addressed activities regarding "perception management" being directed against Turkey saying that "Despite overcoming the ‘cowardly' terror organization [referring to the Gülenist Terror Group [FETÖ]], worldwide campaigns in managing the perception other countries have of Turkey continue. Not only at the hands of this terror group [FETÖ] but also by the PKK terrorist organization; especially in Europe." Continuing his remarks by strongly criticizing EU member states and various institutions for their support of the terrorist PKK, Yıldırım said, "Choosing a terror group over another is the biggest form of betrayal against world peace."
Underlining that "terror groups are all monitored from a single center," the prime minister further touched on the necessity of Turkey's presence in the "multi-dimensional" combat against terror. "Turkey has to conduct a multi-dimensional combat against terror as it is under an asymmetric attack. ... Turkey makes significant efforts toward the establishment of stability in the region," Yıldırım added.
Continuing his remarks by urging European states to contribute to hosting refugees and combatting terror, Yıldırım said, "European countries speak freely but they must stop the talk and join us [on the ground], taking some weight off of our shoulders. Terrorist threats should not be shouldered solely by Turkey. Europe's security starts with Turkey. If Turkey is not secure, then Europe would not be safe at all." Addressing combat against FETÖ, the Turkish prime minister said that combat against FETÖ is the primary issue for Turkey as he urged the ambassadors to remain fearless in the fight against FETÖ. Analogous to Yıldırım's remarks, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also said prior to the opening of the luncheon that the conference will address the government's counterterrorism efforts foremost against FETÖ. "Our friends [ambassadors] from various countries will share with us the necessary strategies to be taken against FETÖ. We have global aims and have domestic policies toward reaching those goals," Çavuşoğlu said.
‘Deputy PM warns against two global threats: Terrorism and migration'Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said that Turkey will overcome all terror groups and respond to all global actors that aim to reshape the Middle East: "We will respond to those global actors who try to reshape the Middle East through terror groups. Turkey has to thwart the plots made against the people of this geographical region for their sovereignty," he added. Kurtulmuş also said yesterday that everyone must, "open their eyes to the two major global threats, "terrorism and migration." As he called upon the Western states to develop a "fair" and "equal" relationship with the rest of the world to eradicate global terrorism, Kurtulmuş criticized the Obama administration for not establishing a peace plan, asserting that he holds the U.S. responsible for the Syrian crisis reaching this point.
He said developments in countries like Syria, Somalia and Iraq first affected the surrounding areas of the region and later the entire world, noting that Syria in particular has turned into a "global matter." Kurtulmuş further noted that a dialogue of peace must be established throughout the world saying, "Rather than perceiving global migration and terrorism as only a periodic threat, we must come together and consider the causes and effectively eradicate them."