Ankara: Trkiye will continue pursuing development and prosperity despite conflicts in the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday. 'Trkiye is on the right path, God willing. Its direction is clear, and sooner or later it will reach its destination,' Erdogan said in an address following a Cabinet meeting in Ahlat, Bitlis. 'Trkiye is safe. The trust entrusted to safe hands, representing 86 million people, is secure. We will under no circumstances allow this sacred trust to be cast into shadow,' he added. The Cabinet met under Erdogan's chairmanship at the Ahlat Presidential Complex.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan said the meeting addressed issues including foreign policy, trade, security and the government's 'Terror-Free Trkiye' process. He said regional economic crises were affecting Trkiye but the government would remain committed to its goals in employment, exports, agriculture, and tourism. On the economic impact of tensions between Iran and the US, Erdogan stated: 'As the shockwave caused by the Iran-America tensions in the global economy gradually loses its effect over time, we will have the opportunity to clearly see its repercussions on daily life.'

Turning to the 'Terror-Free Trkiye' process, Erdogan highlighted a law recently approved by parliament with 467 votes, calling it a historic consensus and saying it had strengthened the process. 'The Turkish democracy has the maturity to resolve any problem when it acts with an understanding that puts the country and the nation at the center rather than daily political calculations,' he said. Erdogan called on people from all political views to contribute to the process, describing it as a matter concerning the entire state and its 86 million people, rather than only the government and its alliance. 'Come, let us fulfill our debt of gratitude to our martyrs and veterans properly by ridding Trkiye of terrorism,' Erdogan said. He warned that any initiative that complicates, sabotages or provokes the process, or stands against it, would be held responsible before history. Erdogan also urged civil society organizations and opinion leaders in the region to contribute more to the process.

Turning to regional conflicts, Erdogan reiterated Trkiye's efforts to promote peace. 'As Trkiye seeks peace for everyone in its region, together with its citizens, the plans of criminal networks built on blood and conflict are being disrupted,' he said. 'We see what bloody scenarios are being devised for our region. God willing, we will not allow them to be carried out.' 'We will not refrain from working to establish peace in our region because some do not want it, are concerned about it or see their plans disrupted,' Erdogan added. He said Trkiye would continue supporting its neighbors' recovery despite opposition from what he described as 'criminal networks with the blood of innocent people on their hands.' 'We have no hidden agenda or intentions, contrary to what some claim. Our aim is for an atmosphere of peace to prevail around us,' Erdogan said.