Türkiye’s efforts to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) do not mean turning its back on the West, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters aboard the presidential plane on his return from the SCO Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Erdogan said Ankara was pursuing a broad-based foreign policy.
“Our goal is to increase our own weight with a 360-degree vision,” Erdogan said.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdogan said both he and Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted the conflict to end in peace as soon as possible.
He also stressed the importance of protecting civilian maritime transportation in the Black Sea, saying the fighting must not reach a point that threatens civilian safety and commercial activity.
Erdogan warned that a grain crisis was re-emerging, particularly in Africa, and said it would be beneficial to launch an initiative before the problem worsens.
F-35 programme, KAAN fighter jet
Turning to defence issues, Erdogan said Türkiye was continuing talks on rejoining the F-35 fighter jet programme.
“We are continuing our talks on Türkiye’s re-inclusion in the programme. Once the processes in the US are completed, this issue will be behind us,” he said.
At the same time, Erdogan stressed that Türkiye would continue developing its own defence capabilities.
“We are not giving up on KAAN or on developing our own air defence systems. We are increasing Türkiye’s options. This is the roadmap of a strong Türkiye,” he said.
Mecca defence pact
On the Mecca Defence Alliance, Erdogan said the pact had been established to promote stability and security in the region.
“We will continue on our path together with our brothers, growing stronger,” he said.
Greece and demilitarised islands
Erdogan also called on Greece to reverse what he described as a “wrong path” and stop arming islands with demilitarised status.
“History is a very good guide for those who learn lessons from it,” he said.
“Greece must now understand this: Türkiye has no designs on anyone’s territory, but it will not allow anyone to violate its rights,” Erdogan added.
Terror-Free Türkiye process
On the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, Erdogan said Ankara viewed the process as a matter of achieving its objectives rather than simply adhering to a timeline.
“Of course, as a state, we have our roadmap, plan and schedule,” he said.
Referring to framework legislation linked to the process, Erdogan said its implementation required the terror organisation PKK to lay down its arms and dissolve.
“How the determinations and verifications will be made is clear. The process is moving forward step by step,” he said.
Erdogan said Türkiye would not tolerate approaches that undermine the nation’s sense of brotherhood or risk reactivating fault lines created by terrorism in the past.
“We will strengthen the home front. With our differences, we will unite around the common denominator of Türkiye. We call this the Great Türkiye Consensus. We are moving forward knowing what we are doing,” he said.
Syria, dissolution of YPG-led SDF
On Syria, Erdogan said Türkiye wanted the country to remain united with all its components, stressing that such unity was important for sustainable development and capacity building.
Addressing the dissolution of the terror group YPG-led SDF, Erdogan said he believed such a step would “open the door to a new era for the entire region”.
“The chapter of terrorism must now close. The era of weapons and violence must now come to an end,” he said.
