Ankara: The Turkish president on Tuesday welcomed reports of an Israel-Iran ceasefire deal, calling on both sides to fully observe the truce. 'We welcome the news, coming late last night, that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between the parties. We call on all parties to fully respect the ceasefire,' Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Ankara before his flight to The Hague for a NATO summit.
According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan emphasized the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts, stating that the region cannot sustain the impacts of a war. 'As I have said before, our region cannot bear the burden of a war whose impacts will be felt across the world. It would be the right, favorable, and smart attitude to take fingers off the triggers and give diplomacy a chance to resolve conflicts,' he added. Erdogan reiterated Trkiye's commitment to international law and diplomacy.
Erdogan criticized Israel's actions in various regions, deeming them unacceptable. 'Israel's reckless actions - starting with Palestine and extending to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and ultimately Iran - are absolutely unacceptable,' said the Turkish president. He called for global intervention to mitigate the situation, warning of widespread repercussions.
Erdogan also addressed the situation in Gaza, urging for a permanent ceasefire and the cessation of Israeli attacks to allow humanitarian aid. 'A permanent ceasefire must be established in Gaza as soon as possible, Israeli attacks must stop, and the way for uninterrupted humanitarian aid must be opened. Israeli aggression must stop in our entire region,' he stated.
In his remarks concerning NATO, Erdogan highlighted the focus on strengthening deterrence and defense. He advocated for fair burden-sharing and criticized trade restrictions among NATO members in the defense sector. 'As we set out with the goal of stronger defense and more effective military, we do not find it right to raise obstacles to trade in defense products between allies. These obstacles and restrictions should be removed as soon as possible, without ifs or buts,' he noted.
Erdogan also called for the inclusion of the Turkish defense sector in European defense initiatives, emphasizing Trkiye's significant contributions to European security. 'Our country, which contributes more to Europe's security than many of its members combined, should be properly included in the union's defense initiatives. The inclusion of the Turkish defense sector in the union's defense mechanisms and projects will benefit all Europe. We are in close consultation with our non-EU allies on this,' he concluded.