President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday mentioned he believed {that a} new proposal bundle that has been ready in consultations with the United Nations to deal with Russia’s issues over the Black Sea Grain Initiative that helped ease a meals disaster would yield constructive outcomes “in a short time.”
“Revitalization of the initiative is a priority for the whole world,” Erdoğan instructed reporters late Monday aboard the presidential aircraft throughout his return from Russia. “We are in close contact with the U.N. on this issue.”
Erdoğan’s remarks adopted his journey to the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a summit together with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The talks got here multiple month after Moscow placed on maintain the important thing settlement that allowed Ukraine to export grain and different commodities from three Black Sea ports regardless of the 18-month struggle.
Brokered by Türkiye and the U.N., the deal was seen as very important for world meals provides, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Ukraine and Russia are main suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and different items that growing nations depend on.
Russia put the deal on maintain, complaining {that a} parallel settlement promising to take away obstacles to Russian exports of meals and fertilizer hadn’t been honored and that inadequate Ukrainian grain was going to international locations in want. It mentioned restrictions on delivery and insurance coverage hampered its agricultural commerce.
Erdoğan has been the most important sponsor of the deal alongside the U.N. and had beforehand performed a big function in convincing Putin to stay with the deal.
He mentioned Türkiye and the U.N. had labored on a brand new set of solutions to deal with some Russian calls for, and he repeated that he believed an answer might be discovered quickly. He emphasised that Russia’s expectations had been well-known to all and that the shortcomings must be eradicated.
“As a result of our contributions, the U.N. has prepared a new package that will pave the way for revitalization of the initiative. During his visit to Moscow, Foreign Minister (Hakan Fidan) discussed the technical aspect of this new package of proposals with his Russian counterpart (Sergei) Lavrov,” Erdoğan famous.
He mentioned he would focus on the initiative with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the U.N. General Assembly this month.
“I would like to reiterate that we appreciate and support the efforts of Guterres, the secretary-general,” he added.
The Turkish chief will take part within the G-20 summit in India on Sept. 9-10 earlier than attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 18-26.
Russia’s two calls for
Russian calls for embrace returning its Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT funds system and insuring the ships concerned within the grain initiative, Erdoğan mentioned.
“On Aug. 28, U.N. Secretary-General Guterres, in the letter he sent, proposed an intermediary mechanism that would result from the SWIFT transaction, not directly SWIFT as the Russians wanted,” he famous. “They said work was underway on the insurance issue, too.”
He added that Moscow was placing these two calls for forth as “musts” to revive the initiative and that Putin had instructed him he wouldn’t take steps on this till “Europe keeps the promises they made me.”
On Monday, Putin burdened Russia’s readiness for talks on the grain initiative however reiterated that there might be no new deal on delivery by means of the Black Sea till the West meets its obligations to facilitate Russian agricultural exports.
“We will be ready to consider the possibility of reviving the grain deal,” he mentioned. “And we will do it as soon as all the agreements on lifting restrictions on Russian agricultural exports are fully implemented.”
A separate memorandum agreed with the U.N. in July 2022 referred to as for situations to facilitate Russia’s meals and fertilizer exports.
Russian agricultural shipments should not topic to Western sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine and Russia exported file quantities of wheat final yr. Moscow and agricultural exporters say restrictions on funds, logistics and insurance coverage have hindered shipments.
Having been attempting to revive the settlement and use it as a foundation for broader peace talks, Erdoğan mentioned that Ankara was in opposition to various proposals to final yr’s Ukraine grain deal.
He mentioned different proposals have failed to supply a “sustainable, secure and lasting” mannequin primarily based on cooperation between the events.
Both Ukraine and Russia have aired rival plans to start out sending grain throughout the Black Sea on their very own.
Ukraine final month introduced a brand new momentary sea hall by means of which it has already despatched 4 cargo ships.
Erdoğan additionally expressed hope that the Russia-Ukraine struggle will finish with a “just and lasting” peace primarily based on worldwide regulation, reiterating that Ankara is able to do its half.
Türkiye has positioned itself to facilitate any peace talks between the warring sides. It has opposed the Russian invasion but in addition the Western sanctions on Moscow.
Erdoğan has maintained good relations with Putin and helped dealer prisoner exchanges between the warring sides.
The Turkish chief has repeatedly referred to as on the Western international locations to contemplate Russia’s calls for and mentioned he hoped his talks with Putin may result in restoring the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Putin on Monday mentioned Moscow was near finalizing an settlement that may facilitate free exports of grain from Russia to 6 African nations with the assistance of Türkiye and Qatar, stressing the proposal was not deliberate as a substitute for the Black Sea initiative.
The deal would come with a provide of as much as 1 million metric tons of grain to international locations most in want by way of Türkiye with monetary help from Qatar, the Russian chief mentioned. The grain might be despatched for subsequent processing at Turkish crops earlier than being shipped to the African nations.
Gas middle
Among others, Erdoğan additionally mentioned Türkiye intends to determine a middle with wide-ranging targets associated to pure gasoline in Türkiye.
The middle could be a monetary center-like platform and would cowl power, pure gasoline and mining, he famous, including that they’d focus on the plans with Russia.
“We want to turn our country into a center beyond the pipelines in Thrace. With the investments in recent years, we will turn our country into a natural gas base. We are approaching the goal of making Türkiye the center of energy in its region,” the president mentioned.
On Monday, Putin mentioned Russia hoped to wrap up negotiations on organising a pure gasoline buying and selling hub in Türkiye within the close to future for exports of Russian gasoline.
Putin has proposed the gasoline hub as a part of Russia’s efforts to reroute its gasoline exports after a pointy fall in its shipments to Europe on account of the Ukraine struggle.
“I hope that in the very near future, we will complete our negotiations,” he mentioned, stressing that such a middle in Türkiye would “make the energy situation in the region more stable and balanced.”
Putin mentioned Russian gasoline large Gazprom had submitted a draft street map for the hub to Türkiye’s state power importer, Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ).
“On the agenda is the establishment of a joint working group, the coordination of the legal framework for the operation of the hub, the schemes for trading and transferring purchased gas,” Putin mentioned.
Fight in opposition to PKK/YPG
Erdoğan additionally spoke in regards to the state of affairs in Syria’s north. Sporadic clashes linger in Syria’s north as a gaggle of native Arab tribes fights the oppression of the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, the YPG, which seized territory with the help of the United States within the war-torn nation.
The unprecedented act, which is definitely a fruits of grievances of the tribes in opposition to the hegemony of the terrorist group, is lauded by Türkiye. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan instructed reporters that what was taking place in Syria was a “reclamation of territory” by Arab tribes performing in unity. “They are the true owners of those lands,” Erdoğan mentioned in an interview whereas coming back from a gathering with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. “Mr. Putin agrees that it is an important struggle,” the president mentioned.
Erdoğan mentioned that the U.S. help for the terrorist group within the type of weapons and munitions didn’t serve the peace within the area. “Every piece of weapon given to the terrorist group fuels bloodshed in the region and disrupts the territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq,” he mentioned.
Clashes continued on Monday between Arab tribes and the terrorist group within the japanese Syria province of Deir ez-Zor. Operations launched by Arab tribes in opposition to the PKK/YPG that began final week expanded with the participation of different Arab tribes.
Erdoğan reiterated that the PKK and YPG are terrorist organizations. “The attitude of the tribes against the PKK and YPG by coming together is a struggle of honor,” he added, stressing the terrorist group is harmful for the individuals of the area.
Operations launched by Arab tribes in opposition to the PKK/YPG within the japanese Syria province of Deir ez-Zor that began final week expanded with the participation of different Arab tribes. Since Aug. 27, a complete of 33 villages have been liberated from YPG/PKK occupation within the rural areas of the Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Hasakah provinces and the Manbij district of Aleppo.
“Countries that support these organizations must see that the terrorist group PKK/YPG does not recognize the right to live for the people of the region through its terrorist activities,” Erdoğan mentioned. Ankara is continually informing the U.S. and Russia in regards to the PKK/YPG’s terrorist actions that threaten Türkiye, he added. “There is no massacre or terrorist activity that this terrorist organization would not do to control the oil in Deir ez-Zor. We have made the necessary warnings to the addressee countries in this regard.”
“It was seen that the ammunition and weapons aid provided by the U.S. to this terrorist organization did not serve the peace of the region. Every weapon given to the terrorist organization serves to continue the bloodshed in the region and to disrupt the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria,” Erdogan mentioned.
As the terrorist group faces mounting resistance from Arab tribes who’ve been displaced by the PKK/YPG, it’s step by step retreating from the villages it had beforehand occupied. Since Aug. 27, a complete of 33 villages have been liberated from PKK/YPG occupation within the rural areas of the Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Hasakah provinces and the Manbij district of Aleppo. The withdrawn PKK/YPG terrorists are resorting to nighttime assaults in an try and inflict casualties on the Arab tribes. The majority of the inhabitants in Deir ez-Zor, which the terrorist group occupied underneath the pretext of preventing Daesh with the help of the U.S. navy, is Arabic. The terrorist group can also be forcibly recruiting Arabs and kids within the areas it occupies, as documented by reviews by the U.N. and human rights teams. The terrorists generate revenue by promoting the oil they obtained by seizing oil wells within the area to Damascus by means of smugglers regardless of U.S. sanctions. While the terrorist group makes use of this revenue for its personal functions, the individuals of the area are disadvantaged of native providers and much-needed help.
Normalization with Syria
The president additionally spoke about Türkiye’s normalization course of with the Assad regime, saying Bashar Assad “unfortunately” prevented taking concrete steps. “He watches steps taken in the quadrilateral format from afar,” he mentioned, referring to the method carried out with the help of Russia and Iran.
“He somehow does not take an active part. We launched these efforts with the hope that they would be more open, but we still don’t see any positive stance from Syria. We hope they will (change this stance) as the process continues,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that normalization was potential if there was progress within the struggle in opposition to terrorism, on the secure and voluntary return of refugees, and on the political course of. He mentioned that Türkiye all the time mentioned that the method must be with out situations on the a part of the Assad regime. “The Syrian regime has to act in line with the facts on the ground and avoid approaches that may harm the process.”
“Without eliminating terrorism threatening our borders and citizens, without eliminating risks to populations’ mobility, we will not change our approach that prioritizes our own security. Türkiye always supports the territorial integrity of its neighbors. Since the civil war began in Syria, we reiterated the fact that terrorist groups stationed (in Syria) are the greatest threat to Syria’s territorial integrity. We will continue our fight against terrorist groups threatening our country to the last member of those groups. We are in northern Syria to clear out the region and our country from those threats,” he mentioned, referring to a string of Turkish navy operations that helped the Syrian opposition liberate areas occupied by Daesh and PKK/YPG.
Kirkuk calm
On state of affairs in Kirkuk, Erdoğan mentioned a deterioration in peace within the multiethnic Kirkuk would hurt Iraq as an entire. Protests erupted on Monday within the northern Iraqi metropolis of Kirkuk after 4 demonstrators had been shot useless and 15 others had been wounded in weekend clashes between ethnic teams. The demonstrators demanded that these chargeable for the deaths be apprehended and delivered to justice. The crowd mentioned that if their calls for weren’t met, they’d arrange bigger protests. Shortly after the beginning of the rally, a lot of police and safety forces had been deployed to the world. The crowd later dispersed peacefully. Protests erupted within the metropolis after a controversial resolution handy over a constructing beforehand occupied by the Iraqi military to a celebration from northern Iraq ruled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Speaking to reporters in a prerecorded interview launched on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan mentioned that any act disturbing the peace in Kirkuk would hurt the steadiness of Iraq. Erdoğan mentioned Turkish intelligence and the Foreign Ministry had been intently following the developments in Kirkuk. “We see a relative calm in Kirkuk as we observed from (Turkish officials’) talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mr. (Mohammed S.) Al Sudani and their counterparts. I instructed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) President Ibrahim Kalın to follow the developments. (Our officials) held talks with Al Sudani, with the Barzani family,” he mentioned, referring to an influential clan whose members embrace leaders of the KRG. Erdoğan referred to Kirkuk because the “homeland of Turkmens,” an ethnic Turkic group, and “a place where different cultures peacefully coexisted for centuries. “We won’t permit acts that can hurt the peace and integrity of this area,” he mentioned.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
