Foreign Ministry reacts to CHP

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement regarding Turkey's Syria policy. The statement from the Foreign Ministry indicated that Turkey's current foreign policy is based on the interests of the Turkish state and nation, and aims for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East. The Ministry stated that international law, humanitarian values, and the pursuit of global justice are the fundamental principles in the formation of this policy.

In the statement titled "Regarding the Allegations Raised in Connection with Our Middle East and Syria Policy," it was stated, "Turkey has maintained a principled stance from the very beginning in the face of the humanitarian tragedy resulting from the internal turmoil in Syria. Our country, which updates its foreign policy in line with its national interests, does not hesitate to take the necessary measures against threats to our national security."

The Ministry, which used the phrase, "It is of course possible to contribute to foreign policy with constructive criticism in democracies," added, "However, distorting the facts for the sake of political gain and making accusations based on ideological bigotry cannot be evaluated within this scope."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs used the following expression: "It should not be overlooked that those who ignore all these facts and make baseless accusations solely for the purpose of political gain have become proxies for sovereign powers attempting to exert influence over our region."

The full text of the Foreign Ministry's statement is as follows:

Our foreign policy is based on the interests of our state and our nation. Under this understanding, Turkey aims to establish peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East, where it has strong historical and cultural ties. The pursuit of international law, humanitarian values, and global justice are our fundamental principles in the formation of this policy.

Turkey has maintained a principled stance from the very beginning in the face of the humanitarian tragedy resulting from the internal turmoil in Syria. Our country, which updates its foreign policy in line with its national interests, does not hesitate to take the necessary measures against threats to our national security.

It is of course possible to contribute to foreign policy with constructive criticism in democracies. However, distorting the facts for the sake of political gain and making accusations based on ideological bigotry cannot be evaluated within this scope.

The allegations raised regarding our Middle East and Syria policy do not possess any analytical quality, nor do they possess even basic historical knowledge.

Turkey has succeeded in being an island of peace and stability in a geography that has been deliberately turned into a ring of fire for years. As our country has remained outside the wars in the region, it has reinforced the peace and security of our nation and increased its prosperity. In this process, our country, which has also improved its defense capabilities, has become capable of fighting against the terrorism it has thwarted in its own geography beyond its borders as well.

It should not be overlooked that those who ignore all these facts and make baseless accusations solely for the purpose of political gain have become proxies for sovereign powers attempting to exert influence over our region.

We will continue to take our steps in foreign policy in line with the interests of our state and our nation.

CHP'S 10-POINT STATEMENT

The Republican People's Party (CHP) issued a 10-point statement on Syria on Tuesday, stating, "Erdoğan and the AKP government are the primary culprits of this dire situation."

The CHP's 10-point statement is as follows:

* Turkey's Middle East policy, Syria policy, and refugee policy have collapsed and gone bankrupt.

* Erdoğan and the AKP government are the primary culprits of this dire situation.

* The government has not only failed to solve the Syria crisis it caused but has also made Turkey a prisoner of this crisis.

* While Erdoğan caused the destruction of Syria with the policy he pursued and turned Turkey into the world's refugee warehouse, he did not hesitate to bargain with Europe over the lives of these people.

* He has ignored the social, political, economic, and demographic problems created by the increasing number of refugees in Turkey and has made no attempt to solve even one of these problems.

* Turkey must remain committed, not just in theory but in practice, to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of neighbors, which was a cornerstone of the Atatürk era.

* Turkey must redefine its Syria policy and see that the continuation of the current status quo has reached a dead end. It is unacceptable for members of the SNA, whose salaries it pays, to burn the Turkish flag and damage Turkish goods.

* The Erdoğan government must immediately publish a realistic and applicable roadmap for the solution of the problem, including the return of refugees.

* The normalization process with the Assad administration must be continued.

* We call on our citizens to be moderate and careful against provocations that may be seen in such environments."