UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH PRESIDENT
By Asiye Latife Yilmaz
ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said that the doors of a new era are opening for his country and the Century of Türkiye vision is turning into reality.
"A new era is dawning for our country. Step by step, we are turning our vision of the Century of Türkiye into reality," Erdogan said at the Justice and Development (AK) Party's 32nd Consultation and Evaluation Meeting in Ankara.
Erdogan said over the two-day meeting, a wide range of issues, including foreign policy, security, and the economy, were addressed, and the progress made in the process of a “terror-free Türkiye,” and the steps to be taken from now on, were among the most important agenda items.
About the “terror-free Türkiye” process, the president said: “We see that our messages, which reassure our friends and brothers while instilling fear in our adversaries and rivals, are reaching their target."
“We are on the verge of completely freeing our nation from the shackles of terrorism that imposed upon it 47 years ago,” Erdogan said, adding: “We have already begun to see concrete signs of this.”
He expressed hope that all political parties with parliamentary groups will support with goodwill the steps to be taken at the Turkish parliament, emphasizing that no one has the right to derail, undermine, or sabotage this process, especially not to pursue petty political gains on such a critical issue.
In life and politics, almost everything can be compensated for, but there is no making up for obstructing a matter this vital, one that affects the unity, solidarity, social peace, and stability of our 86 million citizens, he said.
“Whatever we do, we do it with the sensitivities of all members of our nation in mind, especially the relatives of our martyrs and our veterans, as well as considering the future interests of our country, Erdogan said.
The Turkish president underlined that it should not be forgotten that this new era, whose parameters are being shaped, places significant responsibilities not only on the Justice and Development (AK) Party, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party, but on the entire political establishment and all political actors.
He said that Ankara closely monitored the PKK terror group’s disarmament process on the ground through the mechanism established by the National Intelligence Organization and the Turkish Armed Forces.
"We are aware of whom and which power centers we are fighting against. Our counterparts are not the puppets themselves, but the puppeteers who operate them," Erdogan said.
"They will not be able to prevent this country from breaking free from the half-century-long shackles of terrorism. The cost of separatist terrorism to our country is around $2 trillion," he added.