Erdoğan speaks in the US, targets FETÖ! 'With the death of the ringleader in Pennsylvania...'

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, attended a dinner organized by the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) as part of the second day of his New York contacts. In his speech at the dinner, Erdoğan addressed the Turkish-American community.

President Erdoğan began his speech by addressing the Turkish community: "I would like to thank you for gracing this distinguished program where our friends from different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds meet around the same table. I express my gratitude to the Turkish American National Steering Committee for being the reason we have come together once again, as we do every year. I would like to emphasize my satisfaction in seeing the spirit of solidarity and unity among the Turkish community in America. I see your presence here today, having traveled miles from all corners of America, as the strongest manifestation of our unity of heart." he said.

"WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE TURKISH-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN EVERY FIELD, GOD WILLING"

Congratulating all non-governmental organizations that support keeping the spirit of unity alive, Erdoğan stated, "We observe that the Turkish community living in America is becoming increasingly visible in the social, political, economic, and academic life of this country. I want you to know that we take pride in your achievements, especially those of our friends in this room. I congratulate each of you for your labor, determination, and struggle. As a brother who has come to America on various occasions, I know this fact very clearly: You play very important roles with the ties you have established between Turkey and America and the contributions you make to the economic and social life of your second home, America. Furthermore, you serve as a bridge in explaining our country, our culture, and our civilizational values to the American people. You know that we are always by your side in the work you carry out here and that we try to support you through our representative offices and other institutions. God willing, we will continue to support the Turkish-American community in every field from now on."

Noting that foreign policy is also affected by the profound changes taking place in the world, President Erdoğan continued his speech as follows:

"Foreign policy actors are no longer limited to states and representatives alone; diaspora groups are just as influential. As leading figures of the Turkish diaspora, you all have important responsibilities in this regard. It is crucial that the Turkish-American community, with a population approaching half a million, takes a more active role in the political arena at both local and federal levels, thereby increasing its level of representation. The current environment, where polarization exists in many fields from diplomacy to security and from economy to technology, has made Turkish-American solidarity more critical and indispensable than ever. We are continuing our efforts to advance Turkish-American relations on the basis of alliance and strategic partnership. Cooperation between our countries is deepening by diversifying into many areas such as security, trade, investments, energy, and education. In President Trump's second term, our contacts with every level of the administration have begun to intensify, and constructive dialogue between our institutions has started to gain momentum. Thanks to the sincere friendship we have developed with Mr. Trump over the years, a mutual will has emerged to resolve some of the friction points on our agenda. We are in constant consultation with both him and his team regarding developments in our geography, especially the Gaza crisis, the Russia-Ukraine War, and Syria. Ambassador Barrack has made and continues to make significant contributions to this positive atmosphere with his sincere efforts."

Noting that the goal is to increase the bilateral trade volume to 100 billion dollars and to boost mutual investments, Erdoğan said, "We will meet with him in Washington D.C. on Thursday. We will have the opportunity to address many critical issues during our visit. As you know, Islamophobia and cultural racism have reached alarming levels worldwide in recent times. Marginal ideas residing at the fringes of the political spectrum can reach wider audiences due to the influence of social media. We are aware that these dangerous trends frighten our brothers and sisters who live here and are integrated into America. It is very important to us that you continue to live your culture, your faith, and your civilizational values without any anxiety. America is a country that has been shown as an example for years regarding freedom of belief. We hope that there will be no regression in this characteristic of America. It is up to all of us to ensure that those who feed on hate speech remain in the minority and cannot influence politics. I trust the Muslim community in America, and especially you. I believe that the power of the Islamic community in America will be a source of confidence and courage for all Muslims in the world. I see that American Muslims, including Turks, are sharing the messages of brotherhood, justice, peace, and solidarity of Islam with the American public more effectively. I especially expect you to continue and increase these efforts."

"WITH THE DEATH OF THE RINGLEADER IN PENNSYLVANIA..."

Stating that "the fight against the scourge of terrorism, which has occupied Turkey for decades, cost thousands of our lives and hundreds of billions of dollars in resources, and targets our peace and brotherhood, is among the most important of these," Erdoğan continued his speech as follows:

"With the death of the ringleader in Pennsylvania, internal disputes and disintegration within FETÖ have accelerated. The scandals that have surfaced have once again revealed the true face of this treacherous structure. Over time, the organization will continue to lose power. We will continue our fight against FETÖ on the basis of law and democracy with the same determination and sensitivity. We have no tolerance for terrorism, neither within our borders nor in our region. This goal of ours is gradually becoming a reality. Of course, there are also groups and lobbies in America that carry out campaigns against Turkey. These structures are not only uncomfortable with the strengthening of Turkish-American relations, but they also do not want you to be successful here. We all know who these circles are, whose only basis is anti-Turkey sentiment, and who they are acting as subcontractors for. As Turkey speaks out for the truth, defends peace and justice in its region, and stands up for the oppressed, especially in Gaza, campaigns aimed at silencing and intimidating our country and myself are naturally increasing. We do not give credit to these."

"WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER TO PRESSURES"

President Erdoğan stated, "We will never surrender to pressures. Whoever expects Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkey to consent to oppression and remain silent in the face of massacres should not wait in vain. No power, no lobby, and no disinformation activity can prevent us from courageously voicing the truth. I always say it. I am expressing it once again today. We only bow in ruku. We kneel in prostration. Other than that, we never bow. It is a necessity, not just a need, for the Turkish-American community to act in solidarity in the face of smear campaigns. We need to stop making our differences an issue and instead unite around our common values and concerns. We will be one, we will be united, we will act shoulder to shoulder. We will never for a moment forget that cannons cannot suppress hearts that beat together. Do not doubt that we will continue to stand by you in every step you take in this direction, just as we have done until now."

News Source: İHA