Cabinet and MGK meetings chaired by President to focus on regional security

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is preparing to hold a final Cabinet meeting on Monday, July 6 at the Presidential palace before the establishment of the new government. Prior to the Cabinet meeting, Erdoğan will chair a National Security Council (MGK) meeting on Tuesday, June 30 with the attendance of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Chief Hakan Fidan along with the deputy prime ministers. Local sources have reported that both the Cabinet and MGK meetings are to focus on regional security threats toward the country caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the PKK-affiliated Democratic Union Party's (PYD).As separatist tendencies in Syria continue to pose serious security risks to both Turkey and the region, Fidan will provide the latest intelligence information on the situation during the meeting. The MGK will evaluate the security measures taken on the border and will discuss further measures that could be taken. The PYD forces controlling areas in northern Syria are accused of displacing Turkmens for demographic adjustments. In this regard, the MGK will analyze the purported PYD's attempts to displace Turkmens and Arabs and possible migration flow scenarios. While the MGK meeting will analyze the threat caused by ISIS, it has been reported that the General Staff and other security officials are working on scenarios that could erupt when the Turkish Armed Forces begins creating a safe zone in Syria.

General Hulusi Akar, commander of the Turkish Land Forces, is also expected to provide information on security measures taken to prevent the flow of the PKK and/or ISIS terrorists into Turkey by making use of Turkey's open-door policy for refugees. Additionally, Ankara has continuously informed the U.N. as well as the U.S. of its concerns due to recent developments with the PYD and ISIS. In this regard, the MGK will discuss further diplomatic solutions for the threat caused by both the PYD and ISIS and determine its road map for the situation.

Following the MGK meeting, Erdoğan will chair the final Cabinet meeting prior to the establishment of the new government and the current members will join together for an iftar dinner at the Presidential Palace after the meeting. According to sources, they will discuss the government's ongoing policies, especially the developments in northern Syria. Both the Cabinet and MGK meetings are to focus on regional security as the Cabinet meeting will also evaluate the MGK items and possible events that could occur following the elections.

In addition to Turkey's border security, domestic security will also top the agenda of both meetings. The government's security strategies in efforts to intensify combating the Gülen Movement until now will be discussed, as well as the strategies of tracking activities at home and abroad, and keeping tabs on the flow of financial resources as part of the fight against the "parallel structure." Erdoğan is also expected to discuss the process of forming the new government with its senior officials.