Breaking News... Erdoğan answers questions on the return flight: A message of a 'Terror-Free Turkey'

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with journalists on the plane on his way back home after completing his contacts in Ethiopia. Erdoğan answered questions regarding the agenda and made assessments.

QUESTION- We see that Turkey has been putting up a serious struggle for years, both at the table and in the field, for the peace and integrity of many countries in Africa, just as it does in the Middle East. Is Turkey capable of establishing this in both Africa and the Middle East? Are there other countries that support Turkey in this struggle?

As a nation, we have never been colonialists at any period in our history. We have viewed the people in Africa as our brothers and sisters, our friends. Today, this clean record of ours is the foundation of why eyes are turned toward our country on the continent. Mutual respect and equal partnership are the essence, the compass, and the unchanging principle of our Africa policy. We have not looked, and do not look, at issues in Africa with a profit-oriented, partisan perspective. This perspective toward our country is also effective in the success of our humanitarian diplomacy and our peace diplomacy steps. We know that peace is not established with words but with will, and we take steps accordingly. Is Turkey capable of establishing such peace? It is capable, by the grace of God; let no one have any doubt about this. Thank God, we are not alone either. Our word and our voice are now much stronger.

QUESTION- Africa was a neglected geography for many years. During your term, embassies were opened in Africa, there are serious investments, and services. What is your goal in this Africa policy?

We are striving to develop our relations with Africa and to advance our cooperation in every field, especially in trade and investments. You know that we have increased the number of our embassies on the continent to 44. When we took over the government, this number was 12. Currently, 38 African countries have embassies operating in Ankara. Turkish contractors have undertaken more than 2,000 projects in Africa with a total value of 100 billion dollars. The market value of our investments across the continent has exceeded 15 billion dollars. In 2025, our foreign trade volume with the continent approached 35 billion dollars with a 10 percent increase. Tens of thousands of students from different corners of the continent are currently studying at Turkish universities. Turkey graduates are actively taking on duties in many African countries in every field, from politics to the business world, from academia to civil society.

QUESTION- The consensus reached between the structure called “SDG” and the Syrian administration shows that an important handicap has been overcome in the “Terror-Free Turkey” process. The commission phase has been completed. Now it seems that legal regulations and practices involving the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior are next. Can we say that the process will accelerate from now on? What will Turkey see from now on?

We are moving toward our “Terror-Free Turkey” goal with steps that are as determined as they are careful, and as solid as they are cautious. We have embarked on a good endeavor, and I hope we will succeed in this. This strong will in our country has now also permeated into Syria. There are encouraging developments taking place there that support our ideal of a terror-free region. This also pleases us. We are following the steps toward full integration moment by moment. We are making the necessary suggestions for the implementation of the agreement. Syrian President Ahmed Shara is truly moving forward in Syria with confident steps. Furthermore, I have frequently emphasized that the fight against terrorism is not just a security issue. We are also constantly addressing the legal and social dimensions of the issue. Currently, we are keeping this matter very tight, both with our Parliament Speaker and our friends in the commission. We are walking this path with patience, reason, and determination, thank God. At the end of this road, the problem of terrorism, which has harmed our country for years, will hopefully be removed from our agenda forever.

QUESTION- We know about Turkey's mediation efforts regarding Iran. You are also conducting intense contacts. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs is doing the same... There were some meetings in Geneva today as well. I suppose you have followed the statements coming from there. In your opinion, is the Iran issue closer to war or peace? How do you see the latest situation?

We want the problems between Iran and the US to be resolved through dialogue. We are in contact with both countries at the highest level. Both countries are at this point. I just spoke with the President of Iran. The very next day, I had my meeting with US President Trump. In all these meetings, we discussed how we could find a path forward. We are in the position of a country that builds bridges and prepares the ground for peace, not one that builds walls or fuels conflicts. A new war targeting Iran will not gain anyone anything; on the contrary, our region will lose. We continue to be on the side of peace and approach the issue with positive wishes. As Turkey, we have conveyed to all our interlocutors that we are against military intervention in Iran. We will continue to explain that such a military escalation and rising tension will drag our region into more uncertainty. As long as the door of diplomacy is open, there is hope. We will also protect and strengthen this hope.

QUESTION- Mr. President, I will also ask a question about Gaza. The established Peace Council was planning to hold its first meeting on February 19. You had previously said, “no invitation has been received.” Has an invitation been sent to Turkey? Will Turkey participate?

I hope that the Gaza Peace Council will contribute to the long-desired lasting stability, ceasefire, and ultimately peace in Gaza. The Gaza issue is, in my opinion, a test of conscience for humanity. We have clearly shown where we stand in this test since the first day. The suffering experienced by our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza must end now. The goal here should be to make the ceasefire permanent, to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza without interruption, and to strengthen the ground for a two-state solution. Besides all this, we would like the Gaza Peace Council to serve such a purpose. As Turkey, we have clearly declared that we will support any initiative that is for the benefit of our brothers and sisters in Gaza. An invitation for the Peace Council meeting has been received. As Turkey, we will participate in the meeting. Since it coincides with the first day of the month of Ramadan, our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hakan Fidan, will represent our country at the meeting.

QUESTION: It is known that Turkish F-16s have been urgently called to duty to protect the Baltic airspace. Turkey also stood out in NATO's major exercise in Germany. In this NATO exercise, the Bayraktar TB3 took off from the TCG Anadolu and hit its targets with pinpoint accuracy. 2,000 of our soldiers served in the field. Can this presence of Turkey be interpreted as meaning that European security is out of the question without Turkey's power and will?

For years, we have been explaining on every platform that our country will have positive contributions to the European Union in many ways. It is long past time for Europe to include Turkey in its existing defense and security mechanisms. The world is changing; how much longer can the European Union be a prisoner of narrow agendas in this age of rapid transformations? It is impossible to understand this. The right choice is to remove the ideological barriers to Turkey's integration with Europe and to add strength to Europe's power. They must now accept that attitudes that exclude Turkey and ignore the realities of the world are not logical at all. Building a new defense architecture in Europe... If they have this intention, it is obvious that creating it without Turkey would be an insufficient effort. The Turkish army is one of the largest and most effective armies within NATO today. Our trust in our army is complete. Thanks to this, we are a country that not only talks at the table but also demonstrates its capabilities in the field. I hope everyone has now understood that one cannot speak of Europe establishing a security equation that stands on its own feet without Turkey.

QUESTION: The hate speech directed at Mihalgazi Mayor Zeynep Güneş has once again revealed the need for the constitutional protection of societal values. We all already know your opinion on this point from before. I am asking very clearly, Mr. President. Is there a calendar, a foresight, a timeframe you can tell us regarding the new Constitution?

Well, the struggle that our sister Zeynep is waging in Mihalgazi is not an ordinary struggle. I mean, those who got stuck on their white headscarves were saying things like 'they got stuck on the wings of the plane' in the past... Now, Ms. Zeynep and the region she is in are all wearing white headscarves and baggy trousers. After our phone conversation, thank God, 200 people filled the buses from Mihalgazi and attended our Group Meeting that day, and they gave us extra strength. Hopefully, with the support we give to our sister Zeynep, we will strive to keep her much more successful both in Eskişehir and across the country.

QUESTION- We have witnessed many times that the CHP has conducted politics with a language of threat, blackmail, and insult until today. But at the point reached now, the CHP Chairman even cursed at his own party's mayor. Immediately after that, CHP deputies attempted to attack the swearing-in ceremony of the ministers in our Grand National Assembly. How do you evaluate this point to which the main opposition is trying to carry politics?

This is how much one can trust their friendships. If you are a politician working in the CHP, the moment you criticize the Headquarters management and those who direct them, even in the mildest way, you are doomed to be cursed at, to face lynching and insults, and to be threatened. If this is the case, what should be done? You will stand tall. You will be patient. And when the time comes, you will do what is necessary. This is what we do. There is no backing down. We will stand tall, we will not become arrogant. But we will not leave the field to the CHP either.

QUESTION- Mr. President, you have seen three CHP chairmen in the 24 years you have been in power and you have done politics in the same period. You have had very harsh criticisms of the first two from time to time, but your attitude toward Özgür Özel, whose connection with Silivri has intensified in recent days, has changed quite a bit. Both your criticisms have become much harsher and you have made a statement like “I have lost my hope.” What does this mean? In your opinion, what is happening today that was not in the CHP in the past?

Now, the Republican People's Party is actually in a very different trap. Corruption, theft, bribery gangs on one side, and figures who are the embodiment of incompetent and unqualified politics on the other side are surrounding the CHP. They are in such an effort. We criticize our opponent politically. We also oppose the theses they put forward from a political perspective to the end. We put forward and defend our own theses on the most reasonable ground. Of course, this is in the nature of politics. But do they have such a concern? No. We look at Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's period. It is very different from this period. In that period, we competed fiercely with the CHP on the political ground. With the support of our nation, thank God, we crossed the finish line in all these races. We did not experience any problems. However, the situation the CHP has fallen into now is too complicated to be explained by the dynamics of politics. Foot games, the well-known daggers, intra-party conspiracies have shifted the ground on which the CHP sits in politics quite a bit. It is not possible to explain this only as visionlessness, incompetence, and lack of foresight. But things are really getting worse. The Chairman insults me and my friends everywhere he goes. You cannot get anywhere with these insults. That is why we are not interested in the swamp the CHP has fallen into. We are just minding our own business. And we are continuing on our path like this, hopefully.

QUESTION - My question is about population, Mr. President. As a nation, our country is going through a critical period regarding population. You have been making important statements for the future of our country for many years by saying 'Strong family, strong population.' You are talking about a strong family. Sir, has the family planning policies implemented in the past had an effect on this decline and aging of the population? Supports are being given regarding the strengthening of the family, can there be new supports?

The family issue is not a simple matter to be squeezed between the lines. This is the reason why we highlight the family issue as an important topic, especially this year. Thank God, the level we have reached now is the level Russia has just reached. Russia is currently taking very serious steps on this issue. They are working to maintain the population growth rate and preserve the family structure. They are also developing policies that encourage population growth. Similarly, Saudi Arabia is taking serious steps. We are also in a very important place on this issue. But we are declining. We have a serious population loss. In our civilization, the family is the nucleus of society, and we must never lose this nucleus. Data regarding this shows that we need to go into a state of alarm. As the government, we are on alert to protect both the population and the family structure. We will protect this. There are very, very serious steps we will take to protect this planning. We cannot compromise on this. On the contrary, it is essential that we recover this.

News Source: 12punto