A written statement, issued after the National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The statement read: “It has once again been underscored that the PKK/PYD–YPG terrorist organization’s disruption of the ancient demographic structure of Syria through covert ethnic cleansing and its efforts to acquire land are contrary to international law and human rights and therefore unacceptable; that Turkiye will continue to take all kinds of measures, especially on the frontier, in order to ensure its own security.”

Noting that the measures proposed by the council and taken within the framework of law against threats, particularly the FETO/PSS, PKK/PYD-YPG and DAESH terrorist organizations, targeting the national security of the country have been discussed, the statement indicated that the struggle maintained at home and abroad with resolve and determination to end terrorism has also been evaluated in a comprehensive manner.

Operation signal on Syria's Afrin

Pointing out that the decisions taken at the Astana Meetings organized with the aim of finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria, fortifying the ceasefire and developing confidence building solutions between conflicting parties, make positive contributions to the process and to the efforts of establishing peace, the statement read: “It has been observed that the elements of the Turkish Armed Forced successfully carry out the observation mission in the ‘Idlib Tension Reduction Zone’; that an environment of peace and security can truly be established by carrying out this mission also near Afrin and West Aleppo. It has once again been underscored that the PK /PYD–YPG terrorist organization’s disruption of the ancient demographic structure of Syria through covert ethnic cleansing and its efforts to acquire land are contrary to international law and human rights and therefore unacceptable; that Turkiye will continue to take all kinds of measures, especially on the frontier, in order to ensure its own security.”

NATO scandal

The statement read: “It has been specified that the reprehensible incident which took place during the NATO drill named ‘Trident Javelin 2017’ organized in Norway was evaluated comprehensively; that such incidents may cause damage to the ‘solidarity principle’ which constitutes the foundation of the NATO alliance, that the investigations initiated by the Norwegian and NATO authorities are expected to be extended to include the echelons responsible, that those who try to use NATO as a tool for their own purposes must not be allowed to do so, that the developments will accordingly be monitored closely. It has once again been underlined that such hostile approaches and statements targeting the founder of our Republic Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the President who is the representative of the Turkish nation and state are absolutely unacceptable.”

Arakanese Muslims

The last section of the statement repeated the call made to the international public so that Rohingya Muslims may return to their homes-homeland and humanitarian aid may be provided to them and indicated that recent developments on this issue are closely monitored and the statement concluded: “It is stated that our country will continue to do its due in terms of ending this tragedy which has become a test for humanity.”

ILKHA