Turkey has been working for the establishment of peace and justice in the world through its humanitarian and entrepreneurial foreign policy at a time when global uncertainties are rising rapidly, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said.
Speaking to Turkish political magazine Kriter published by the Political, Economic and Social Research Foundation (SETA) think-tank based in the Turkish capital Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said that the economic and technological transformation is taking place at a very fast pace in the world.
"We see the political and military effects of this. We need to carefully monitor the change in the balance of power. Of course, this rapid transformation process also increases uncertainties. But our compass is solid. We are working for the establishment of peace and justice at home and in the world through our humanitarian and entrepreneurial foreign policy," he told SETA General Coordinator Burhanettin Duran.
Regarding the Antalya Diplomacy Forum organized by the Turkish Foreign Ministry last month, Çavuşoğlu pointed out that the forum has become a world brand and that it is an event where the talents and knowledge of Turkish diplomacy are displayed meticulously.
Emphasizing that the aim of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum is to address the transformation of diplomacy in a multidimensional way, Çavuşoğlu said, "In this respect, I can say that the forum has made an important contribution to, and even shaped, the discussions in the field of international relations."
Emphasizing that the Antalya forum is one of the innovative initiatives by Turkey and that the country is also a key actor in the world, he said: "Today, there is a Turkey profile in the world. Turkey has become a global actor. Everyone accepts Turkey's power and the role it plays in the international arena. Turkey's active, principled and fair attitude is appreciated by everyone."
Also, mentioning that Turkey is a hope for the world, Çavuşoğlu said, "I see this in every contact I make with my colleagues in different geographies."
Underlining that the rapid transformation process after the Ukraine-Russia War increased uncertainties, Çavuşoğlu also emphasized that we are facing new and multidimensional challenges in many fields from international security to economy, global health and digital technologies.
"All countries in the world need to strive for an inclusive, just and effective international system that can respond to global threats. Based on the message of our president (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan), 'The world is bigger than five,' we strongly voice this argument on every platform."
Ties with US
Also touching upon the relations with the United States, the top diplomat said that the attitude of the U.S. on issues related to the terrorist groups, which directly concern Turkey's national security, is incompatible with the spirit of alliance, and that the problems with the U.S. are effectively managed through diplomacy and dialogue.
"I would like to mention the strategic mechanism that was decided to be established by our president and the President of the U.S., (Joe) Biden. The mechanism will allow our disagreements and cooperation opportunities to be addressed in a comprehensive and structured way. It is foreseen that the first step towards the activation of the mechanism will be taken soon."
Ankara and Washington disagree on a number of issues that have further strained bilateral ties in recent years, from Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems to the U.S. support of the PKK terrorist group's Syrian branch, the YPG, as well as Washington's refusal to extradite Fetullah Gülen, the leader of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), among other legal matters. The greatest challenge that Turkey-U.S. relations face is Washington’s support for the YPG, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated last year.
The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Turkey and the European Union, and Washington's support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara. The U.S. primarily partnered with the YPG in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Turkey strongly opposed the YPG's presence in northern Syria. Ankara has long objected to the U.S.' support for the YPG, a group that poses a threat to Turkey and that terrorizes local people, destroying their homes and forcing them to flee.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite its NATO ally's security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Turkey conducted its own counterterrorism operations, over the course of which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.
As Turkey looks to modernize its air force, both with national means and with possible purchases, after the deal on F-35 jets fell through, the country has requested to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes from the United States. Ankara had ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, also made by Lockheed Martin Corp., but was removed from the program in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Defense on the pretext of purchasing a Russian missile defense system, a move regarded as "unilateral and unlawful" by Ankara.
Washington argues that the S-400 air missile systems acquired by Turkey could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the Lockheed Martin F-35 jets and are incompatible with NATO systems. Turkey, however, insists that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance. Ankara has reiterated various times that the removal from the jet program was illegal and unilateral, demanding a fair approach and saying that it is open to negotiations with Washington.
'EU strategic goal'
Noting that it is in its own interest for the EU to support Turkey in global issues and include it in its structure, Çavuşoğlu said: "EU membership is our strategic goal. The backbone of our relations is the participation process. The privileged partnership or other types of cooperation models voiced by some circles are not on our agenda."
Stating that Turkey is the key actor in the region as the country with the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean issue, Çavuşoğlu said, "Our priority is diplomacy, cooperation and coordination as always. Our president suggested to the EU to hold a comprehensive Eastern Mediterranean Conference in 2020. This proposal should be adopted by other actors as well, and now it should be implemented."
Turkey last month lambasted the EU's newly adopted defense and security action plan as unstrategic and unlawful, saying it will make the bloc part of the problem rather than the solution in the Eastern Mediterranean.
NATO allies and neighbors Turkey and Greece are at odds over a number of issues, including competing claims over jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, air space, energy, the ethnically split island of Cyprus and the status of the islands in the Aegean Sea. A dispute over drilling rights for potential oil and gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean led to a tense naval standoff in the summer of 2020. Greece has since embarked on a major military modernization program.
Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that their excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots. Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue and negotiations. Athens has tried to turn a bilateral issue with Ankara into a Turkey-EU issue, according to Turkish officials.
Noting that Turkey is the fifth country with the most representations in the world, Minister Çavuşoğlu stated that the number of Turkish foreign representations is 253 at the moment.
"In 2023, we will experience the happiness of commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, as well as the 100th anniversary of our Republic. Hopefully, our organization will continue to expand. We will continue to protect the interests of our nation all over the world," he said.