The National Security Council (MGK) meeting, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday, said Türkiye prioritizes peace and security in the region.
"Türkiye's policy in region prioritizes the preservation of peace in Kirkuk, elimination of terrorist groups in Iraq," the statement read.
The statement also noted that Türkiye would exert maximum effort to preserve peace, and stability both in the region and Kosovo, where it will assume command of the NATO mission and will continue to support efforts to achieve lasting peace, and stability in the South Caucasus.
"All parties, especially Armenia, were reminded that the path to a lasting peace in South Caucasus can only be opened through the unconditional establishment of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty..." the statement said, adding that obligations based on agreements, which will contribute to the prosperity of countries in the region, should be fulfilled to achieve the regional peace.
Last week, in the wake of provocations by Armenian forces in Karabakh, Azerbaijan said it had launched "counter-terrorism activities" in the region to uphold a 2020 trilateral peace agreement with Russia and Armenia. After 24 hours, a cease-fire was reached.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan and seven adjacent regions.
The MGK meeting also highlighted that Türkiye would continue to carry out anti-terror operations at home and abroad in the face of threats against its national security.
Referring to the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian offshoot, the YPG, as the main obstacle in the way of peace in Syria, the MGK said Ankara will continue to remind its allies about the necessity to clear terrorists from the region, in line with international law.
Criticizing the U.N. peacekeepers in Cyprus for their hypocritical stance, the MGK said they fail to uphold the principle of impartiality.
"Under this framework, the legal basis for activities of peacekeeping forces needs to be established via a written agreement with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) authorities," the statement said.
Earlier this month, U.N. Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus attempted to attack the Security Forces Command (GKK) soldiers on territory belonging to the TRNC bordering the Green Line in Lefkoşa (Nicosia).
The U.N. has been biased over the humanitarian road construction where it has allowed several similar Greek Cypriot administration constructions without contention. Türkiye has called for "impartiality."
Cyprus was split in 1974 after Türkiye, as a guarantor power, prompted by a coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island, launched a military intervention dubbed the Cyprus Peace Operation to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
The division has been a source of tensions since then, including over who holds sway on the island’s offshore exclusive economic zone, more than 40% of which was claimed by Türkiye following recent natural gas discoveries. Türkiye doesn’t recognize the Greek Cypriot administration as a state.
Meanwhile, Türkiye will continue to provide support to Libya in a balanced and equitable manner across the country, the statement said.
The Mediterranean Storm Daniel, which struck eastern Libya on Sept. 10, caused flooding in the cities of Benghazi, Al-Bayda and Al-Marj as well as Soussa and Derna. The World Health Organization said nearly 4,000 people died and many others went missing.