Emphasis on establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian State following the NSC meeting

The closed-door meeting lasted 2.5 hours.

A statement regarding the meeting was published by the Directorate of Communications on the social media platform X.

The statement issued by the Directorate included the following:

"The National Security Council convened on November 29, 2023, under the chairmanship of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

At the meeting;

- Information was presented to the council regarding the operations conducted with determination, resolve, and success both domestically and abroad against all kinds of threats and dangers to our national unity, solidarity, and survival, primarily the PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG, FETÖ, and DAESH terrorist organizations.

- Within the scope of the "strategy of destroying threats to Turkey at their source," it was stated that the capabilities the separatist terrorist organization has been trying to develop have been severely damaged as a result of operations carried out against PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG targets in Syria and Iraq, while observing the safety of civilians and friendly and allied elements. It was noted that actions aimed at defending terrorists and undermining the foundations of the law of alliance have been carefully recorded, and it was emphasized that no effort can change the fate of the terrorist organizations targeting our country.

- It was expressed that Israel will sooner or later have to face the consequences of the inhumane crimes it has committed in Gaza, which have gone down in history as a black stain; it was underlined that stopping the attacks aimed at the total annihilation of innocent civilians and the occupation of Gaza's lands without delay is the collective responsibility of the international community, and that Turkey will continue to make every effort in this regard. It was reminded to the Israeli administration and the actors supporting the massacre that if these heinous acts are not ended immediately, they could trigger a spiral of violence that will last for generations and spread beyond the region, and that lasting peace can only be possible with the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and geographically integrated Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

- Our cooperation with our neighbor Iraq was reviewed in all its aspects, primarily the security dimension; the potential effects of developments stemming from the Palestinian issue on the stability of Iraq and the region were evaluated in detail. Recent developments in Kirkuk and the situation of our Turkmen kinsmen were discussed; the importance we attach to all elements in the country living together in peace was once again highlighted ahead of the upcoming provincial council elections.

- The conclusion of the Azerbaijan-Armenia negotiations with a permanent peace agreement and, in this context, issues regarding the normalization of our relations with Armenia, as well as the efforts of non-regional actors to get involved in the matter, were evaluated; it was noted that we will support every sincere effort aimed at establishing a lasting peace that will contribute to the peace and prosperity of all countries in the region, including Armenia.

- It was emphasized that as the effects and costs of the Russia-Ukraine war on our region and world politics increase, it is important to take steps to establish peace without delay.

- It was pointed out that developments negatively affecting the international security environment confirm the justification of Turkey's efforts to ensure a climate of peace and stability in a vast geography extending from the Black Sea to Africa, and from the Caucasus to the Balkans; it was stated that Turkey will continue to take initiative with a proactive approach to prevent tensions from turning into crises and to stop conflicts before they spread.

Respectfully submitted for public information."