UPDATE 2 - Extension of Black Sea grain deal would be right: Turkish president

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH PRESIDENT

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - It would be the right decision for parties to extend the Black Sea grain export deal which is due to expire on Nov. 19, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"I think it would be wrong to put a time limit there. We told them (Russia and Ukraine) that the longer they keep this deal, the more accurate it will be," Erdogan on Friday told reporters after his visit to Uzbekistan, where he attended the 9th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which paused after the start of the Moscow-Kyiv war in February.

The parties are currently negotiating a possible extension and expansion beyond its Nov. 19 deadline, with Erdogan saying Ankara is determined to transfer Russian grain and fertilizers to less-developed countries.

Erdogan said the "most important" thing for Türkiye is to operate the grain corridor deal, and to mediate between Russia and Ukraine toward peace.

"Of course, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's goal is to highlight the poor African countries, particularly Mali, Somalia, and Sudan. He made me the offer that we could send them the grain for free. As soon as such a step is taken, we can show the same sensitivity," he noted.

It would not be fair to put Africa aside and send grain to Europe, Erdogan stressed, adding: "If we provide intensive flow of grain, fertilizer, and ammonia to poor countries through the grain corridor, we will relieve the peoples there."

Regarding Putin's absence from the upcoming G-20 summit in Indonesia, Erdogan said: "Making an assessment on this matter would be both disrespectful to himself and disrespectful to his team."

- Greece 'seriously disturbed'

Asked about Greece's situation after the recent defense talks between Türkiye and the US, Erdogan said: "Of course, at the moment, Greece is seriously disturbed by these latest steps."

Earlier this week, the Türkiye-US High-Level Defense Group meeting was held in the Turkish capital Ankara, where regional and global defense and security issues were discussed.

"Of course, we are disturbed by the attitudes of the West, and especially the US, in Greece. Dedeagac (Alexandroupolis) is one of them. Apart from this, there are some disturbances that Greece inflicts on us in the fight against terrorism. Especially, this Lavrion Camp issue is not something that we can stomach," Erdogan said.

The Lavrion Camp near Athens, a onetime refugee camp, has long been controlled by the terrorist PKK and has become in effect a terrorist training ground.

The president has repeatedly warned Greece also about the militarization of the islands, in violation of longstanding international treaties, saying: "We may come suddenly one night," without giving a timeframe.

About the ongoing negotiations with Washington for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, Erdogan said talks continue as planned.

"My hope is that the next month will be full of good news and we will develop the F-16 issue in a much more positive direction," he added.

Two amendments putting conditions on potential F-16 sales to Türkiye were reportedly removed from the Senate version of the relevant bill.

The conditions included requiring the US president to take steps to ensure that the warplanes "are not used by Turkey for repeated unauthorized territorial overflights of Greece.”

About the fight against terrorism, Erdogan reiterated that Greece and the US protect the terrorists, including the FETO members.

"Who protects them now? Mainly Greece. They run away to Greece, they run away to Europe. They always fled there. They live in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, England, America.

"And America is hiding this man (FETO leader). Who is hiding? (US President Joe) Biden is hiding. They gave them a huge mansion in Pennsylvania, where this man lives. If you ask me where is the center of terror, that's what I'm telling you right now," he said.

Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup in Türkiye of July 15, 2016 in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 wounded. Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

- Efforts to introduce Northern Cyprus to world

About the admission of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to the Organization of Turkic States as an observer member, Erdogan said: "We showed that the Turkish Cypriots, who are an integral part of the Turkic world, are not alone."

Erdogan added that it would be wrong to consider this as a "recognition."

"It means that the speech we made at the UN General Assembly gave a voice. ... We need to create a spiral about introducing Northern Cyprus to the world as a state," he added.

Erdogan said the TRNC case is not as easy as the recognition of Kosovo, adding: "But we will do our best. We're going to get to work. I believe that we will have the opportunity to introduce Northern Cyprus to the world."

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece, and the UK.

The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the EU in 2004, the same year that Greek Cypriots single-handedly blocked a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.