It is “imperative to get some concrete results” within the battle in opposition to terrorism for progress in engagement with Syria‘s Bashar al-Assad regime, Türkiye‘s communications director stated Sunday.
“The PKK/YPG/PYD and affiliated so-called Syrian Democratic Forces pose an existential threat to our national security. It is, therefore, imperative to get some concrete results in combating terrorism,” Fahrettin Altun stated in an unique interview with the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper.
Underscoring that this terrorist group targets the territorial unity and integrity of Syria, he stated Türkiye expects the regime to behave in accordance with the info on the bottom.
“We continue our engagement process with the regime in a quadrilateral format without preconditions and in good faith. The Syrian regime should act in the same manner for this process to produce an outcome,” Altun stated, including that the 2 international locations are within the preliminary stage of figuring out how bilateral relations can be superior.
He stated the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria at this stage doesn’t make any sense, noting that the Turkish presence in Syria can also be a assure for his or her territorial integrity.
Regarding the refugee disaster, he stated creating needed situations for the voluntary, protected and dignified return of Syrian refugees and revitalizing the political process-which the regime has obstructed-continue to be amongst Ankara’s foremost priorities in Syria.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of profitable anti-terror operations throughout its border in northern Syria to stop the formation of a terror hall and allow the peaceable settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
In its greater than 35-year terror marketing campaign in opposition to Türkiye, the PKK-listed as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the U.S., and European Union-has been accountable for the deaths of over 40,000 folks, together with ladies, youngsters and infants. The YPG is its Syrian department.
ANKARA’S FOREIGN POLICY WITH NEIGHBORS
Asked concerning the new course for Ankara’s international coverage, Altun stated “continuity is the basis of Turkish foreign policy.”
Ankara has engaged in a regional normalization course of with international locations together with Armenia, Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, abandoning years of strained ties.
“Today, again, we are in search of further strengthening our friendships and finding solutions to conflicting issues,” he stated.
He added that Türkiye will proceed growing its relations with neighboring international locations based mostly on worldwide legislation whereas preserving its rights and pursuits.
Regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s complete Gulf tour final week, he stated Türkiye has sturdy historic, human and cultural ties with the pleasant and brotherly Gulf international locations.
“We witness that our trade volume with the Gulf region has grown more than 12 times in the past 20 years, reaching the level of $22 billion,” he stated, including that latest high-level visits between Türkiye and the Gulf have introduced new areas of cooperation in a number of fields.
VISA ISSUE
On the enduring downside of Turkish residents getting Schengen and U.S. visas, Altun reiterated that the Turkish Foreign Ministry despatched a diplomatic be aware to the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
“It can be observed that visa problems continue ever-increasingly,” he stated.
“The visa problems experienced continue to be brought to the attention of the authorities of Western countries on every platform, and we continue to seek solutions.”
In 2022, roughly 15% of Schengen visa purposes made via missions in Türkiye have been rejected, whereas the speed has risen to round 50% this yr.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
