FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN- Dear press members, welcome to Türkevi. We are pleased to conclude today our program within the framework of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly. I would like to share with you today a brief assessment of the activities and events that our President and our delegation have attended over the past week.

As every year, we were engaged in extremely intense diplomatic traffic. While in New York, Mr. President held numerous bilateral meetings. He attended the UN General Assembly, Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and the Climate Summit. As is the case every year, he also had the opportunity to meet with members of the Turkish-American community. He met with Turkish and American businesspeople. First Lady Emine Erdoğan also participated in various events on family, women's empowerment, environment, and culture. I, as Foreign Minister, also had numerous bilateral meetings.

In addition, I chaired the annual coordination meeting in my capacity as Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Our Deputy Ministers and other officials from our Ministry worked intensively throughout the week. Other Ministers in our delegation held countless meetings here on their respective issues. We participated in various events on topics such as Syria, Ukraine, Libya, Somalia, mediation, G-20, and MIKTA. On issues of concern to all humanity, such as the environment, energy, artificial intelligence, food security, and combating climate change, we shared Türkiye's views on the relevant platforms, contributed to the work of the UN and advanced our position as far as possible.

Distinguished members of the press, the Palestinian issue and the situation in Gaza were the most important agenda items of this General Assembly week. Almost every day, there was one or two programs related to Palestine. As Türkiye, we either led, coordinated, or supported all meetings on Palestine. We participated in all of them and, thankfully, defended the Palestinian cause in the strongest possible way.

As you heard, a large part of our President's address to the UN General Assembly was devoted to the Palestinian issue and the genocide taking place in Gaza. Mr. President also addressed the Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held on Monday. As you know, before and after this Conference, we witnessed some Western countries with significant leverage in international relations, which had not recognized the State of Palestine until now, coming to recognize Palestine. Our President shared Türkiye's vision on the Palestinian issue and its expectations from the international community with the world public at these two conferences.

Our President had also spearheaded the idea for the meeting on Gaza, which was attended by the leaders of eight Arab League and OIC member countries, along with US President Trump. At this meeting, as a group of countries with a Muslim population of nearly 800 million, we clearly conveyed our expectations regarding Gaza to President Trump. We stated that a ceasefire must be achieved in Gaza as soon as possible and that delivering humanitarian aid to the region is essential. We collectively emphasized that Israel's annexation of the West Bank is absolutely unacceptable and that we oppose any attempt to force Gazans to leave their homeland. We hope that positive momentum will be maintained on the issues we raised. There are initial signs of this, and hopefully, it will come to fruition.

During the high-level week, we also participated in the Security Council meeting on Palestine and delivered a speech on behalf of the OIC. In addition, as the Turkish delegation, we participated in the meeting of the Liaison Committee for Assistance to the Palestinian People, the meeting on UNRWA, the meeting on the reconstruction of Gaza, and the Hague Group Meeting. I would also like to specifically mention that we became party to the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, which was opened for signature on the margins of the UN General Assembly. Of course, both Mr. President and I consistently raised the Palestinian issue during our bilateral meetings. We called for more support for Palestine. The announcement by some Western countries during and immediately before the General Assembly that they recognize the State of Palestine is an extremely important development. This outcome is also a concrete result of the work we have carried out as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation-Arab League Joint Contact Group. We will continue to defend the just cause of the Palestinians at all times and on all platforms.

Dear friends, following our President's program in New York, as you have also followed, his bilateral visit to Washington made this week even more important. Our President's visit was, in general, highly friendly, positive, and constructive. Mr. President invited President Trump to Türkiye both for a bilateral visit and for the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara next year. During the meeting, agreement was reached on the need to resolve issues that hinder the further strengthening of our relations, such as CAATSA sanctions. In this context, steps that could be taken in the field of defence industry were evaluated. We will work on concrete projects to advance economic and trade relations in a balanced manner and to reach a trade volume of $100 billion.

As you know, an agreement has been reached for Turkish Airlines to purchase 75 wide-body and 150 narrow-body aircraft. Prior to the visit, our Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources had reached an agreement with the US for long-term LNG supply. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation was also signed.

Mr. President and President Trump also discussed regional and global issues. Certainly, Mr President brought up the Palestinian issue. He strongly emphasized the issues that are important to us. First and foremost, Mr President drew attention to the need to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, as well as to the risks created in the region by Israel's expansionist policies.

Issues regarding Syria were on the agenda of our discussions with the US. Both countries agree that Syria's territorial integrity and political unity must be preserved. Mr. President and President Trump also discussed possible joint steps to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Furthermore, the two countries focused on increasing coordination within NATO. At the end of our visit, we saw that both countries want to further advance cooperation based on mutual respect. Our President and President Trump share a common will in this regard.

Dear friends, our visit to New York and Washington was very fruitful in terms of both our contacts within the UN framework and our bilateral relations with the US. As you know, the theme of this year's General Assembly was “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” Türkiye will continue to contribute to global issues. At the same time, we are developing policies that protect our strategic autonomy in the multipolar world and defend our country's interests. In the coming period, under the leadership of our President, we will continue to prioritize diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation.

Thank you all very much for participating. You have been with us constantly throughout the week and must be tired. Now, I can take your questions.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Dilek Kaya, Ihlas News Agency.

Before boarding the plane yesterday, President Trump said he was close to securing a ceasefire in Gaza and indicated that the hostages could soon be freed. Regarding this issue, do you expect any developments that could change the course of events in Gaza?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN - Dear friends, as I mentioned in my speech, there is intense diplomatic activity in this direction, much of which is not visible to the public. Türkiye is spearheading some of these efforts and playing a significant role in others. The meeting of eight leaders of Islamic countries, including our President, with President Trump was an important gathering. As you know, the Israeli Prime Minister will also be visiting Washington next week. It is important for us that the United States plays its pivotal role in all of this and uses its influence over Israel. To bring the United States to this point, it was necessary to carefully calculate the diplomatic procedures, strategies, and relationship steps to be followed and to implement them one by one.

Looking at the long-standing meetings our President has held with other leaders and the subsequent developments, hopefully our priority now is to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, stop the civilian massacres, and get humanitarian aid in as soon as possible. This is extremely important. A draft is being worked on that brings to the agenda a ceasefire agreement prioritizing this, and other related matters at the same time. As I said, this has been a somewhat quiet effort; we have contributed as the countries concerned, and negotiations are ongoing. We want to be optimistic about this, but we will not back down, we will not tire, we will not give up. We will continue to do everything in our power, using all our creativity and strength.

QUESTION- Mr. Minister, thank you first of all for holding this press conference. Islam Doğru, Anadolu Agency.

I will also focus on the recognition of the State of Palestine. In this sense, the UN week was really important, as you mentioned. How will the recognition of the State of Palestine affect the cessation of genocide in Gaza in the next phase? How will the process proceed technically? How will Türkiye's efforts in this regard continue? Could you provide a little more detail on this?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Of course. As you know, friends, when we saw the genocide operation that began after October 7, we, as Türkiye, put forward a strategy. It was actually a discourse strategy that also shaped international diplomatic rhetoric, which was this: The lesson we learned from previous Gaza wars is that this time, we should not only focus on a ceasefire, but also focus on eliminating the environment that enables all these wars and massacres. What is that? A two-state solution, permanent. In other words, creating an environment where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in safety, peace, and tranquility. Because when you focus on a ceasefire, you forget the other matter. While working on a ceasefire -there were countless meetings as you know- there have been negotiations, prisoner exchanges, and hostage exchanges. At one point, there was a 60-day pause, then the massacres started again. But at the same time, through division of labor with a group of countries, we continuously advanced the agenda of a two-state solution and the recognition of Palestine, and ultimately, we reached a point where a record number of countries recognized Palestine. Of course, along with the number of countries, the specific weight of the countries is also important. Now, European, Anglo-Saxon countries, traditionally strong allies of the United States, France, Britain, Australia, Canada, which are historical allies, also recognized Palestine. This, of course, demonstrates the effectiveness of the work that has been done and the results of the political pressure that the international community has exerted on its own governments after witnessing the massacre in Palestine.

Of course, there was absolutely no reason for 60,000 innocent people to be martyred, slaughtered, and for 2 million people to suffer from starvation in order for the State of Palestine to be recognized and for a two-state solution to be achieved. But unfortunately, it is in human nature that people often learn their lessons from adversity, rather than wisdom. As human beings, the direction of our development and evolution should be based on actions guided by wisdom. We should recognize the good before adversity strikes — then take action, but that's just how it is. The picture this presents at the moment is that the State of Palestine is now more widely recognized. We have kept this constantly on the agenda, and we will continue to do so.

The second stage is not just a recognized state, but a living and functioning state. There are steps that need to be taken for this. For this, the ongoing hot war must stop. Then, we need to evolve towards an atmosphere, a practice, where Palestinians can govern themselves, have financial independence, and administrative independence. There are also preparations for this. There are some work in progress. In particular, there is the matter of reforming the Palestinian Authority — work in this regard is currently underway. Some countries from the West are also involved here. On the other hand, there are matters related to Gaza's self-governance after a possible ceasefire agreement. There are steps to be taken towards the Palestinian State while moving towards a two-state solution. These are, of course, things we hope to implement in the good scenario. Türkiye, under the leadership of our President, is making all kinds of constructive contributions to this issue in an incredible way, and it is doing so genuinely. In other words, we have never been after political gain here. Our goal is to end this historical injustice and to prevent our citizens' consciences from suffering any further. Because we are the ones responsible for acting on their behalf and taking measures.

QUESTION - Thank you, Mr. Minister.

Oray Eğin, Habertürk.

What is Türkiye's position on the Blair Plan? Do we support it, or are we against it? I believe President Trump and Mr. President discussed this issue at Tuesday's meeting. What is our position? Will we be involved? Then there's also the matter of construction. I would appreciate it if you could provide some details. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Dear friends, there is no clear, concrete thing in front of us called the Blair Plan. As the countries and actors involved, we have not been presented with such a plan. What we have been presented with, and to which we, as other contributing countries, have also contributed, is a ceasefire that the US can also accept and a framework plan for healing the wounds in Gaza. Negotiations towards this are ongoing. There have been contributions here. Of course, at some point, both the Palestinian and Israeli sides need to accept this. We will use our influence with the Palestinians. The Americans will use their influence with Israel to implement this through this mechanism.

As also reported in the press, Tony Blair may be given a role at some point, especially in organizing international aid; that's a separate matter but what we, as the Contact Group countries, are paying close attention is that after a possible ceasefire agreement, Gaza will once again be governed by the Palestinians themselves

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Kübra Koç, TRT World.

Sir, my question is specifically about Syria. Reaching an agreement between Israel and Syria through US mediation is still on the agenda. As far as can be observed, there is serious pressure on the Syrian regime in this regard. Was there any specific consultation on this during your meetings with your Syrian counterparts?

Also, sir, following the meeting with Mr. Trump, can we say that a new process is beginning regarding “SDF”?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN- The Syrian issue is always on the agenda in our discussions in all its aspects, dear friends. As you know, it is important both for regional security and for Türkiye's security. More importantly, it is important for the Syrians themselves. Millions of Syrians are still living outside Syria as refugees, and for this to end, Syria must achieve lasting stability and send strong signals to that effect. Now, of course, there is a new perception of threat in the region, starting with Israel's attacks on Syria. Syria already had its own unique problems and threats to its social cohesion. The difficulties left over from the Assad era, infrastructure and economic problems are all still there. The destruction caused by the civil war is still there. With the support of the international system and actors, a truly miraculous diplomatic success was achieved to resolve all of these issues. Türkiye, regional countries, the European Union, and the US very quickly reached a consensus on supporting the new administration in Syria and healing Syria's wounds, and concerted action had begun. At this point, Israel's attacks began to change the equation. Efforts to resolve this issue are ongoing. Our Syrian brothers are conducting talks on this matter. We are providing support. We are holding talks, and we bring this issue up very frequently with the Americans. We are holding talks with regional countries. This is an important issue, and we are seeking to resolve it through the most suitable diplomatic methods possible.

On the other hand, the situation of the “SDF”, the potential threat posed by the YPG, and the matters relating to the current threat are constantly on the agenda. Bilateral and trilateral discussions are ongoing. We are closely monitoring the negotiation processes between the government in Damascus and the “SDF”. We have our assessments and guidance regarding the evolving views and role of the United States on this issue. Türkiye is closely monitoring this issue, and our relevant authorities are conducting their assessments. We have our own internal assessments and decisions. At the end of the day, our goal is an environment where Türkiye's national security is not under threat, where no minority or majority group, including our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria, feels threatened, and where they feel free, can live their identity, feel equal, and feel safe. Türkiye is ready to provide and do whatever is necessary, including the political framework, economic contribution, institutional capacity, and military and security measures. It is ready to do this not unilaterally, but together with its partners in the region and any stakeholders it can find. We are working in this direction, frankly, but as I said, we are working towards the goals I just mentioned. We are very transparent and clear on this issue. We have no hidden agenda. Our President also emphasizes this in his meetings with world leaders at every opportunity. We, as the relevant institutions, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinate this with our authorities. We coordinate the implementation of Mr. President's vision, and we will continue to do so. As I said, Türkiye is a large and powerful country with high institutional capacity. It knows well which tools to use and when. But we always want to start with wisdom, good words, peaceful aims and methods, and we want to proceed in this manner. In an environment where our counterparts do not understand this or respond positively, using other methods as well is always our duty, as a state, towards our region, our people, our nation, and our state.

QUESTION- Ali Artmaz, TRT News.

My esteemed colleagues have generally focused on regional issues like Syria, and Gaza. With your permission, I would like to return to Turkish-American relations. There was a multidimensional agenda in the meeting between the two leaders, particularly CAATSA, the F-35, and especially energy. Of course, the question we are curious about is this: On which issues was a clear agreement reached, and which issues will take time? What kind of developments should the Turkish public expect in the coming days on these topics, and which topics will come to the fore?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN- Dear friends, I want to emphasize this: Our President stated this in his meeting with the press on his return - and we also witnessed and participated. First, both Mr. Trump and Mr. Erdoğan are willing to completely resolve the problems between the two countries. There is intention, and there is will. Now, these issues fall into different categories. Some are pre-existing, some are caused by current conditions, some stem from the nature of politics, and some are issues where we have differences regarding certain events in the world, especially in the Middle East. We have seen that Mr. Trump has demonstrated a will to solve problems especially on issues based on bilateral relations, where there are no third actors. Our President has truly great persuasive power in this regard. We are using, for the benefit of our country, the advantage of being, as you know, one of the leading global leaders. When you put it concretely, what are the issues that everyone knows? CAATSA, which emerged after the events of 2019. It presents a major challenge. Because the existence of a legal restriction between two NATO allies that prevents them from purchasing anything from each other is a major systemic problem. The F-35s, etc., and KAAN’s engines that we're set to acquire, currently pending at the Parliament, at the US Congress - their licenses have been stalled. The licenses need to be issued and engines received so that KAAN production can begin. While the solution of all this is technical, the systemic limitations in our relationship with the US will inevitably push us to pursue different strategies in the international system. We are already developing our own capabilities, and there is no problem with that. But no country is self-sufficient with its own capabilities. Indeed, countries need to have an alliance culture and a defence industry ecosystem One may need technology transfer, or to acquire a more advanced weapon or something else. Or those can be sold by us.

I was at a meeting here the other day. There are requests and discussions about the possibility of the technology produced by BAYKAR serving as a production area for the US and the US benefiting from this advanced technology in Türkiye. This matter is not unilateral, but is now becoming a bilateral one, following Türkiye's development of its own capabilities. As you know, Türkiye can also sell ammunition and weapons to the American market. This is misperceived as being always unilateral. We buy more, so naturally we make payments. What is important for us is that there should be no restrictions or limitations between the two countries. This does not befit the spirit of alliance, of strategic partnership. For that reason, CAATSA needs to be removed from the equation, and there is willingness on both sides to do so. The relevant parties, particularly our Ministries of Defence, will work to pursue this matter further.

Cooperation in the field of energy is also extremely important. There is a consensus on what can be done regarding energy, including nuclear energy and natural gas, and there are concrete steps to be taken. There's the Halkbank issue, which has been on the agenda for many years. This matter has, of course, been brought to court. But the authorities' perspective is also important. It is important that they provide accurate information. There are certain steps that need to be taken.

Overall, as I mentioned, it was a remarkably good meeting and visit, with concrete results. Leaders need to meet periodically anyway. There are numerous ongoing policies related to trade, technology, education, defence, foreign policy, and regional issues. These are either handled by bureaucrats, businesspeople, or ministers like us. But at the top, it's the will of the elected leaders that makes it happen, while all this is being done. It's important for leaders to meet periodically, look each other in the eye, and say, "I continue to trust you, you continue to trust me. Let's maintain our resolve." This whole mechanism is moving... This isn't just about relations with Türkiye; it's inherent in international relations. Note that the United States needs to meet with the United Kingdom in the same way, as well as with France and Canada. This is a mechanism that applies to all major countries. At the end of the day, the nature of international relations dictates that it is important for the sources of will to come together and show that they still trust each other, that they need to cooperate with each other, that they are satisfied with this, and that they will continue to work on these issues by issuing instructions through their own mechanisms. I find this visit particularly important for ensuring this, and it should naturally occur periodically among major allies.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Funda Karayel, Daily Sabah.

US President Trump has shown great respect to our President both in New York and Washington. He repeatedly said that he respected him in a way that was very different from his approach to other countries’ leaders. What kind of roadmap do you envision the Washington meeting will create in the near future for strengthening relations between our two countries?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN - As I just started to say, the Washington meeting was the first state visit after Mr. Trump came to power. Our President met him on various occasions before, and most recently at a multilateral meeting in New York. But, as you know, they were sitting side by side at that meeting. What you see is just the moment the picture is taken, but there has been constant communication between the two leaders - before, during, and after. We were there the whole time. You know they have frequent phone calls, there is regular communication and coordination. As I said, there's a will on both sides regarding relations. The rest is up to the business world, the energy world, the defence industry, the relevant actors, and us. So, the more we carry forward and create new areas of cooperation, and the more the business world generates new trade and expands business development, the more progress will be made. So, at least currently, there are no issues with relations with Türkiye within the US administration, with matters falling within the President's own sphere of authority. However, certain restrictions already put in place through Congress and legal means needs to be managed and carried out through politics. I believe that there will be an undeniable role of the US administration's leadership in this matter.

Thank you, dear friends. You worked hard alongside us for a whole week, putting in a lot of effort.

* Deciphered by Interpress - unofficial translation from the Turkish text.