FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Distinguished members of the national and international press, I am delighted to be here with you today in Istanbul.

As you know, we witnessed extraordinary developments both regionally and globally in 2024. On the occasion of our meeting, I would like to review the past year and share our foreign policy vision with you.

Our region witnessed in 2024 geopolitical shifts that could reshape the balance of power. Globally, we experienced a year marked by intense conflicts and competition among major powers. Our region is weary of wars and conflicts. We need lasting peace, solidarity, and cooperation more than ever. The spirit of the times demands solidarity, development, the proper use of regional resources, and cooperation. It is exactly for this reason that we have placed these principles at the core of our foreign policy, in line with the vision of our President. We have focused on building strong partnerships with our neighbours. We continued to strengthen our alliances this year with the Balkans and Europe in the west, the Middle East in the east, the Black Sea in the north, and Africa in the south. In this regard, we pursued intensive and proactive diplomatic efforts.

Shaped by the vision of our President, an independent and national foreign policy centred on Türkiye has enabled our country to distinguish itself as an effective and respected international actor in the region. We held discussions with numerous foreign counterparts both at home and abroad over the past year and established new cooperation mechanisms.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, both at its headquarters and abroad, has worked in coordination and harmony with all our institutions, making significant progress toward our foreign policy goals. With our active foreign policy, we not only have influenced today's developments, but also striven to shape the future as much as possible with strategic foresight.

In the current state of affairs, Türkiye cannot pursue an inactive and reactionary foreign policy. Therefore, we continue to implement our foreign policy, supported by our powerful foreign policy tools, with a far-sighted and proactive diplomatic mind. In doing so, we advance our foreign policy through multi-layered diplomatic moves. Security and defence, connectivity, economy, trade, energy, social and digital layers—we now have a project, a scenario, a proposal for each of these areas. As we are in the midst of frozen and hot conflicts, the security layer has naturally become a priority, especially in our region. This will continue for some time until stability and peace are restored.

At the same time, we are at the very centre of accelerating connectivity projects and corridors in the fields of energy, transportation, trade, and digitalization. We are also striving to elevate them to the next levels.

In the economic and trade sphere, we are developing economic cooperation mechanisms by expanding our trade networks with the European Union, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.

We regard ensuring the quality of various social interactions such as tourism, education, culture, and sports activities in the social sphere as a foreign policy priority.

Dear press members, as you know, Türkiye's foreign policy agenda is quite broad. In order to devote more time to the question-and-answer session, I would like to briefly share with you the main topics in this section only. We can then elaborate on the topics with your questions.

One of the developments that made 2024 special was undoubtedly the developments in our neighbour Syria. Our Syrian brothers and sisters, who fought a difficult battle against a bloody regime, laid the foundations for a new era by ending 61 years of oppression. Since 2011, we have defended justice, fairness, and humanity with our Syria policy, which we have pursued with strategic patience, despite all attacks, provocations, and obstacles. We said, “There is no rush for those who are right.” Today, we take pride in being on the right side of history.

It was in any case impossible for Türkiye, which opened its heart to our brothers and sisters who came from Crimea, the Caucasus, the Balkans, Turkistan, and Iraq in the past, to take a different stance towards the Syrian people, our neighbours. Thank God, we have not disappointed our nation or our Syrian brothers and sisters at this point. Having worked intensively on Syria for the past 13 years, we are all naturally pleased to see this outcome.

Dear press members, I can say that our story on Syria is just beginning. Syrian people are now facing various major challenges, primarily the reconstruction of their country. Within a week of the regime's fall, we opened our Embassy and began to quickly support our neighbour's reconstruction and development efforts through our institutions working actively on the ground. We believe the elements that form the main axis of our Syria policy are still the main formula for bringing stability to Syria today.

I would like to emphasize once again that the main axis of Türkiye’s foreign policy is peace, cooperation, solidarity, and prosperity. Türkiye has no designs on any other country's territory, nor does it have any hidden agenda. We all know how transparent, honest, and resolute our President's leadership style is.

In accordance with the mission history and geography have entrusted us with, we consider it our duty to stand against injustice and oppression, and we shape our foreign policy accordingly. Our expectations from our neighbours and regional countries are also in this direction. We say, let us build a culture of cooperation and development in our region instead of policies of oppression and domination. Let us now leave behind the culture of conflict, the culture of tripping each other up, the culture of holding the region back, the culture of pushing people into poverty.

We hope that in the coming period, the transition process will be completed with an inclusive approach based on preserving Syria's territorial integrity and unity.

Of course, ridding Syria of terrorism will be one of the key priorities for 2025. Please note that the primary target of all terrorist organizations operating in this region has always been Türkiye. And of course, Türkiye is carrying out the most effective fight against terrorism. But let me state this clearly and explicitly: Türkiye has the power, capacity, and, most importantly, the determination to eliminate all threats to its existence at their source.

At this point, the road has come to an end for the separatist organization and its extensions in Syria; nothing will be the same as before, and the former order will not continue. In the new order in Syria, no one has the privilege of using qualifying phrases such as “but” or “however.” Furthermore, countries that have taken an ambivalent stance in the fight against terrorism must learn a lesson from the recent terrorist attacks.

I would like to emphasize this once again for our foreign counterparts and partners who are following us. Terrorism has no religion or nationality. We must all recognize that there is no difference between Europe, America, or Türkiye for terrorist organizations. In the upcoming period, we will continue to fight with the same determination against both the DAESH terrorist organization and the PKK, without any discrimination. As our President has stated, we will reach our goal of a terrorism-free Türkiye, one way or another, but definitely, God willing, we will.

Our foreign policy principle is not solely focused on combating terrorism, but also foresees supporting countries that are fighting terrorism. In 2024, we institutionalized this support in many of our relationships and will continue to do so.

In this context, we do not view the security and stability of our other neighbour, Iraq, as separate from that of our own country. We have reinforced our legal framework with Iraq through 27 legal texts, foremost among which is the “Strategic Framework Agreement for Joint Cooperation” signed during the visit of our President to Iraq in April 2024. Apart from security issues, we have institutionalized our bilateral relations in all areas, from economy to education, within a strategic framework. With the signing of bilateral and quadrilateral cooperation documents related to the strategically important Development Road project, an important step has been taken to advance the project on the basis of regional ownership and inclusiveness.

Continuing with our neighbours, we maintained the positive momentum we achieved in our relations with Greece in 2024. We have maintained our high-level dialogue through mutual visits. Hopefully, we will continue at this pace this year as well. We continue to address our current differences with Greece within the framework of well-functioning bilateral dialogue mechanisms. Acting in the spirit of good neighbourliness is in the interests of both countries and the region.

Dear friends, of course, the Palestinian issue, which lies at the root of many problems in the Middle East, remained at the top of our agenda last year. In 2024, we saw that Israel, emboldened by its impunity, not only failed to end its atrocities in Palestine but also extended the war to other countries in the region. From the very first days of the war, Türkiye has aimed to put an end to the atrocities committed against Palestinians by exposing Israel's actions to the world. While mobilizing all our resources, we have also taken initiatives to spur the international community into action. We are the country that has sent the largest amount of aid to Gaza. To date, we have sent over 88,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza. As of May 2, we have completely stopped our trade with Israel. We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that international mechanisms are implemented so that Israel is held accountable before international law. We have intervened in the ongoing genocide case at the International Court of Justice. The advisory opinion issued by the Court calling for an end to Israel's occupation and the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court are important steps towards the realization of justice and the punishment of those responsible for genocide. We led a joint letter initiative at the United Nations to halt arms sales to Israel. Thanks to our efforts, nine more countries recognized Palestine.

Lebanon also ended the past year with the devastation caused by Israel's aggression. Although a ceasefire has been achieved in Lebanon today, we are facing a humanitarian crisis in which more than 1 million people have been displaced. Naturally, the ceasefire achieved in Lebanon alone is not enough to extinguish the fire in our region. Unless the bloodshed in Palestine stops, the region will not achieve peace and tranquillity. For this reason, we continue our efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and actively support all existing efforts. As we have always emphasized, lasting peace in the Middle East depends on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is unacceptable that Palestinians have been left stateless, landless, and without a homeland in their own land for decades. As long as this historical injustice remains unresolved, it will be impossible to find a fair and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue or to overcome the difficulties faced by the Islamic world. Türkiye will continue to stand by its Palestinian brothers and sisters with all its capabilities, as it has done until now, and to support their just cause.

Dear press members, unfortunately, the conflict continues in the north as well as in the south. The Russia-Ukraine war will reach its fourth year next month. Our strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity continues. As Türkiye, we continued to emphasize the importance of opening space for diplomacy in 2024 by maintaining our balanced policy. As you may recall, thanks to the Grain Initiative implemented through Türkiye's mediation in 2022, 33 million tons of grain entered world markets. With this agreement, we have made a significant contribution to global food security. In addition, as you know, a comprehensive exchange operation involving the mutual exchange of a total of 26 individuals from prisons in seven different countries, including Russia and the United States, was carried out in Ankara in August. We continue our diplomatic efforts to establish a new arrangement between Russia and Ukraine regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, we have always striven to extinguish the fire and alleviate the sufferings. Our President has truly devoted considerable effort and time to this matter. We will continue to uphold our principled stance of supporting all efforts towards peace in the upcoming period.

The mediation agreements I referred to earlier are quite significant in terms of demonstrating Türkiye's honest, fair, and reliable role as a mediator and the respect shown to Türkiye in this field. Within the framework of the priority we give to preventive diplomacy and international mediation, we are pioneering numerous initiatives across a wide geography. Some of these are reflected in the press, while others, due to the nature of mediation efforts, must continue out of the public eye until they are concluded. Most recently, as you will recall, thanks to the intensive efforts of our President, the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia were brought together in Ankara, and as a result of the Tripartite Leaders' Summit, Ankara Declaration was announced, ending the historic dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia.

We attach great importance to the processes aimed at establishing a lasting climate of peace and tranquillity in the Horn of Africa. In the coming period, God willing, you will see us spearheading other initiatives, peace platforms, and processes that highlight our role as a problem solver and mediator, primarily in our immediate neighbourhood but also on the international stage.

Speaking of Africa, dear press members, as you know, we accord a significant place to Africa in our foreign policy. We are further strengthening our multidimensional cooperation with the African continent. During our visit to Djibouti in November, we successfully completed the third Review Conference of the Türkiye-Africa Partnership. You are also well aware that Türkiye's extended hand of friendship has been met with great enthusiasm across the continent. We show that our friendship with our African brothers and sisters is not just rhetoric through the work we do across the continent. With this understanding, we have made significant progress in our defence industry cooperation with African countries within a framework of mutual equality and respect. As you know, our defence industry has made serious progress, and become an important instrument of our foreign policy. Our national and indigenous technologies, which have been praised by the international community, contribute not only to the security of Türkiye but also to the security of our friends and allies. In this context, we also strengthen NATO in line with the spirit of alliance. Türkiye has achieved a very critical position with the capabilities and capacities it offers to the Alliance. At the NATO Summit held in Washington in July, a consensus was reached on strengthening NATO's role in the fight against terrorism thanks to Türkiye's initiatives. The consensus among allies to lift restrictions on defence industry trade was also achieved as a result of Türkiye's intensive efforts. It is a sign of the significance we attach to the alliance that we will host the Informal Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in 2025 and the NATO Summit after 2025.

Speaking of alliances, we maintained relatively positive bilateral relations with our strategic partner, the United States last year despite some differences of opinion in certain areas. Essentially, Türkiye and the United States are two countries that need each other, both in terms of regional and global power balances. Comprehensive and multidimensional cooperation between the two countries is becoming even more important in the current climate. We will continue constructive and open dialogue with the new American government in this context. We have taken note of Mr. Trump's statements regarding Türkiye's key role in the region and on the global stage. We aim to maintain the momentum we have achieved in our relations with the United States even more strongly after the Trump government takes office.

Like the United States, China is also one of the main players in the multi-polar order that has the potential to transform the global system and whose presence we feel more and more every day. We gave our cooperation a strong boost with high-level visits in 2024. Our President met with Mr. Xi Jinping three times on various occasions, and issues between the two countries were discussed in depth. I visited Beijing in June. On this occasion, we also visited Urumqi and Kashgar. During this visit, we had the opportunity to discuss many key issues between the two countries, primarily commercial matters.

In this context, we were very pleased that the Türkiye-China Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee was reconvened last year after an eight-year interval. The alignment of Türkiye's Middle Corridor Initiative with the Belt and Road Initiative of the People's Republic of China was also one of our important agenda items. In the coming period, we are determined to further advance our cooperation by showing mutual respect for our fundamental interests and sensitivities.

We also attach importance to revitalizing our relations with another key player, the European Union. As you know, our trade relations with European Union countries are extremely balanced. We have a truly well-functioning bilateral relationship with each European Union country individually, but this relationship does not extend to European Union institutions in the same way. However, we made some progress in this area last year. We bring this up from time to time on various occasions. EU membership continues to be a goal set out as a strategic vision in foreign policy for Türkiye by our President after he was elected in May 2023. Our public institutions, primarily the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continue their efforts in this direction. But as you know, European Union reached a very different stage about 10 years ago regarding membership. We do not observe a change in political views on the matter, but rationally speaking, given that there is no membership and cannot be implemented at this point, how can we advance our relations on other remaining issues between us? We continue to systematically discuss and advance issues such as the revision of the Customs Union agreement and visa facilitation. There is a tremendous scope for cooperation between Türkiye and the European Union on many issues, including energy, food security, connectivity, migration, security, and defence. We will continue to advance this cooperation this year, dear friends.

On the other hand, we took steps to further institutionalize and advance our relations with the Organization of Turkic States and the Turkic world. Important decisions were taken at the Organization of Turkic States Summit held in Bishkek. Charter of the Turkic World was adopted. Furthermore, we have further advanced the institutional foundation of our Organization by adopting the regulation that allows for the establishment of Permanent Representations within the Organization. Just as in the OSCE, NATO, and other UN organizations, member countries will now have Permanent Representatives at the ambassadorial level within the Organization of Turkic States. Likewise, the adoption of the Organization of Turkic States flag was a symbolic but important step showing the level of regional cooperation we have reached.

The Turkic World Common Alphabet Commission, which held its third meeting in Baku in September, successfully completed its work by agreeing on a 34-letter Common Turkic Alphabet based on the Latin alphabet. In the coming period, we will further strengthen our cooperation for a united and powerful Turkic world in more than 30 areas of activity.

While speaking about the Turkic world, we cannot leave out the critical importance of South Caucasus for our country. Just as the Balkans are our gateway to Europe, the Caucasus is our gateway to Central Asia. With the end of the occupation in Karabakh, a historic chance for lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in our region has emerged. We are working shoulder to shoulder with Azerbaijan in this process. I believe that Armenia will also act with a long-term and strategic understanding. We value the positive messages conveyed by the Prime Minister Pashinyan in this regard. We note that his stance in favour of peace contributes to the positive progress of the process. We continue to support the bilateral negotiations between the parties without mediators. Achieving peace will also bring unprecedented new opportunities for the development of our region. In 2024, we made progress in developing and institutionalizing the 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform, which is a manifestation of this understanding, through concrete projects.

Dear press members, I have shared with you here only a glimpse of our activities.

I must also mention that we have undertaken numerous initiatives, ranging from strengthening stability and prosperity in the Balkans to developing our relations in Latin America and exploring new opportunities with countries in Asia. 2024 was a year of conflicts, challenges, shifting power balances, and technological and economic competition. We know that 2025 will also be a challenging year, and Türkiye is ready for it. We will continue to pursue our foreign policy across all regions, always seeking regional solutions to regional problems and striving to ensure prosperity, stability, and peace.

Thank you for your interest.

Now let's take your questions.

QUESTION: Mr. Minister, I am Murat Alan, Editor-in-Chief of Akit Newspaper.

Perhaps this question should have been asked before, it concerns Syria, it is actually a question directly related to Syria. The Nagel Committee, appointed by the Israeli government, predicts a possible war with Türkiye in the near future, saying that there is a possibility of conflict. Considering that Syria, and the current democratic new administration in Syria, sees Türkiye as its greatest ally, and evaluating this alongside Israel's expansionist policy in southern Syria, do you, and the Republic of Türkiye, foresee a conflict with Israel in the near future? Does Türkiye have any preparations for this, sir? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Dear friends, Israel's expansionist and aggressive policies in the region are not only a problem for the countries in the region, but also for the international community and international justice.

In other words, this is not a problem that concerns Türkiye alone. We will address and overcome the global problem as well as the regional problem posed by Israel, together with our regional allies, global actors, and partners.

QUESTION: Mr. Minister, Manol Kostidi from Skai TV-Kathimerini newspaper. You mentioned positive momentum in relations with Greece and you mentioned differences of opinion. There is a possibility of Mr. Mitsotakis coming to Türkiye again in February. Will relations with Greece enter deeper waters? Yes, the Aegean is calm, but Greece has stated that the main point of disagreement is the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone. Türkiye's arguments are different, referring to interconnected issues. What is the perspective on Turkish-Greek relations? So, will these issues be addressed in greater detail in the next and subsequent meetings? What is your goal? Or will these issues be set aside and the new perspective be Cyprus? And speaking of Cyprus, I ask this point because it has been on the agenda in recent days and will also affect Cyprus. Does Türkiye intend to sign an exclusive economic zone agreement with Syria?

Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Thank you, these are all very important questions.

Dear friends, the positive relationship between Türkiye and Greece, especially the positive relationship initiated at the leadership level, really provides a good environment for better resolving the problems we have inherited from the recent and distant past, and we are trying to maintain this environment. There are currently two aspects to the problem. The first is the problem itself, namely, when two rational minds come together in a place where there are no internal or external political factors, how they view the problem in the Aegean and other issues, such as our issues in Western Thrace. This is where we focus. On the other hand, there is the picture that emerges when comprehensive peripheral factors, primarily domestic policy areas, come into play. Of course, I see no harm in saying this, but we see that domestic political pressure on the Greek party creates a different ground for managing the current problems. In other words, even if domestic political pressure is based solely on interests, as is the case in Türkiye, I believe it may be treated on a more rational basis, but at this point, we understand the situation of our counterparts, primarily the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is a reality of life, and we will continue on our path in this manner. As long as we do not lose our focus, as long as we do not give up on our intentions, as long as we have the support of the people behind us, ultimately, we will continue to move forward with determination though this will cause us to lose a little time.

I believe that in the coming days, as long as the Greek public and the Turkish public support this process, we will be able to make positive progress. What matters is the courage of the leaders, my dear friends. Who will demonstrate the political leadership necessary to resolve this issue with the public's support and approval? Our President has repeatedly shown and proven that he is ready to do so on many issues. We also see that Mr. Mitsotakis has serious commitment on this issue. I hope that both countries will take important steps in this regard, especially by making good use of the period ahead, particularly 2025, before entering the election period.

QUESTION- Ahmet Yeşiltepe, TV100 Foreign News Director.

Sir, I would like to ask you about a statement made to the Associated Press news agency, today by the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. In his statement he stated that, in his own words, the Syrian Democratic Forces, namely the PKK/YPG, will remain in the region for the time being, that they will openly support this, and that the US policy will continue in the coming period, particularly regarding DAESH, especially in terms of maintaining control over prisoners in that region. Although he will be leaving office in 10 days, how do you assess his stance, this statement?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Dear friends, our response is clear to the American governments' policy and statements on this matter. We stated that the policy of using one terrorist organization to imprison another is wrong. Everyone knows this, they know it too, but it is a process that began before they took office. It is a process they are trying to pass on to the next government without any problems or complications. We said that it kills the spirit of alliance, and we repeatedly stated that it is contrary to any spirit of solidarity. They already know that we will not hesitate to take steps that prioritize our own national interests and national security interests in this regard. Frankly, when we conducted military operations, we had no problems with our American partners in the fight against terrorism as long as we did not target them. I do not think there will be any problems in the future either. There are alternative measures to continue the conditions of DAESH prisoners. These need to be positioned rationally, but as you said, this is now a matter for the new government. The previous government does not have much to say on this matter.

QUESTION- I am Süheyla Demir, Foreign News Director at Haber Global.

This is actually a related topic, concerning the terrorist organization PKK/YPG. US Secretary of State Blinken visited Paris recently, and a similar message emerged from that meeting. “We understand Türkiye's legitimate concerns, but we also want to defend the security interests of the YPG,” said both ministers in unison. At this point, there was a call to France. Acall to France and the US to protect the Syrian border extending to Türkiye, and for France to send troops if necessary. How do you these calls...

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN - Who madethe call?

QUESTION- Actually, it was made by the members of the terrorist organization PKK/YPG. But we can also see France's efforts to be part of this equation, as well as its anti-Türkiye steps in many other areas. Whether it's in the Mediterranean or other issues.

My other question will be about Ukraine. We expect 2025 to be the year of solution in Ukraine. But while the Kremlin says Türkiye cannot be a mediator, it does not explain why, and Putin still refers to the Istanbul agreement. In this regard, do you think Türkiye's ongoing efforts to find a solution in 2025, without putting Slovakia forward, will be met with a positive response from Russia?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Dear friends, as I stated in my previous answer, our stance on the YPG, the fight against terrorism, and Syria's national unity and integrity is clear. I do not believe that the policies developed by some small countries in Europe, participating in certain operations under the umbrella of the United States and then speaking out from there, contribute to either themselves or the region. Let's see if they can come to the region and maintain operations and military forces where the United States is not present. But we know that this is not the case. Frankly, we do not take seriously those countries that speak about advancing their own interests by using US power and hiding behind it. Our interlocutor on this issue is the United States. We are talking to the United States, not the countries that follow behind it. If France is going to take any action, it should take the people it defines as its own citizens under its constitution out of prison, bring them to its own country, put them in its own prisons, and try them in its own courts. It should not do to get YPG, another terrorist organization, to provide prison services and then say that it will support them. Then I'll take my own prisoners, put all the PKK members on an island in France or anywhere else in France. And I'll gather another group there and keep them there without bringing them here. Is such a world possible, my dear friends? The world must understand this. You are not accepting your own DAESH prisoners, and you express support for another organization that is holding them in prison through another policy. This has nothing to do with reality or seriousness.

On the other hand, regarding what you said about the Russia-Ukraine war, peace is delayed here. When we look at some of the statements coming out of Mr. Trump's office, unfortunately, nothing different will emerge from the parameters we set out as a result of our shuttle diplomacy two years ago. It will be the same issue. You know the goal here is not a peace agreement, but first and foremost a ceasefire, aimed at putting an end to death and destruction. The conditions are clear to do this; the question is who will accept these conditions and under what terms.

QUESTION: Ullrich Topper from the Spanish EFE Agency. A few days ago, you mentioned Putin's ultimatum regarding the YPG solution in an interview. He said that either the new Syrian administration would take responsibility for doing this, or Türkiye would do it itself. Has a timeline been set for this? Has a timeline been provided for this to be done?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN- Dear friends, a new perspective has emerged in our policy on this issue since December 8. You know there is now a government in Damascus that the people have embraced. This government will hopefully embrace all of Syria and put an end to the suffering and oppression endured by the people. We see that the government's steps toward ensuring its national integrity, unity, solidarity, political integrity, and territorial integrity will include an agenda to end the occupation and terror created by the YPG in the region. We believe they should be given the opportunity to implement this. We are currently waiting for this to happen.

QUESTION - Thank you. Mr. Minister, the Palestinian people are on one side and the murderer Netanyahu is on the other. If you find yourself in a position to mediate between them, what would your proposed solution be? If such an offer were made, would you accept it?

Moreover, 2024 has been declared the Year of the Syrian People. Do you think 2025 will be the Year of the Palestinian People? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN: I hope so. I also stated it in my speech. We repeatedly emphasise that lasting peace in the region will not be possible without pursuing a two-state solution perspective and achieving its goals. This is, in fact, a powerful expression of a reality, a truth. There are currently ongoing mediation efforts related to the ceasefire. As you know, Qatar and Egypt are playing a central role. From time to time, both our colleagues in the intelligence service and others, our colleagues, provide strong support on this matter. We offer serious suggestions and recommendations. From time to time, our colleagues are also included in the message flow. Ultimately, what we want to see is an immediate ceasefire, regardless of who we're dealing with, or what's happening, and for the oppression, tears, and bloodshed to end. Our President is very sensitive on this issue. So far, this hasn't been possible. Perhaps this deserves further discussion. We've also seen during this process that some international actors are actually operating a diplomatic process to buy time for Israel, rather than to reach an agreement. These are, of course, issues that need to be discussed on another level.

QUESTION: Lizzie Porter, the National. Sir, Türkiye maintains its own military forces to maintain a security presence with its allies in Syria. Is Türkiye reconsidering the issue of maintaining its military units in northern Syria, as well as its presence in areas like Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Thank you. In light of the new reality, we also have to, of course, reconsider the modality of our presence there. This is currently underway. In parallel with the steps taken by the new government, Türkiye is also reconsidering its relations with Syria, the framework, nature, and content of these relations.

At this point, our main priority, as you mentioned in your question, is to provide basic services that will enable the survival of our approximately 5 million Syrian brothers and sisters in the opposition-held areas of Syria. We were ensuring their security as well as contributing to the provision of basic services. Now, this has become a responsibility for all of Syria. Not just for us, but for the states in the region. We're working on what kinds of joint steps we can take on this issue, and meetings are underway. We're truly in a very new process; it's only been a month, but we're certainly reviewing it. Our presence there will now need to evolve to a different dimension, hopefully, if all goes well.

QUESTION: Mr. Minister, Euronews Istanbul Bureau Chief Emre Başaran. I'd like to ask you a question about European Union relations. You recently said that Türkiye should unite with Europe to create a more effective force in the region. You mentioned the need for closer ties. What obstacles do you think need to be overcome, both from Türkiye's and the EU's perspective? And how realistic do you see visa liberalisation in this context? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: I touched upon the historical trajectory of Türkiye-EU relations, I mention it from time to time on various occasions, let me raise it once again with your question. Throughout our historical journey, the perspective of full membership has always been our goal and the political will has been expressed. Unfortunately, we haven't seen this on the EU side. There are various reasons for this. We raise these issues from time to time in our discussions and meetings. "What kind of geostrategic landscape would we be facing today if Türkiye had joined the EU in 2008-2009-2010? What kind of EU would we see during the Russia -Ukraine war? Would Brexit happen or not? Would a stronger but slightly looser EU be more resilient to certain crises?" These are legitimate questions, and they will continue to be asked. But ultimately, history hasn't been shaped this way.

Can we learn from this? I believe, we should. Because we're already seeing signs that more significant ruptures could occur in 2025.

Do we want regional solidarity and regional cooperation based on this, encompassing all partners? This should be our main priority. Will we be able to renew our political language and perspective in this direction? Türkiye has truly struggled for this within itself for 20 years. A tremendous political struggle was waged within Türkiye, both between those who support it and those who do not. The centers of tutelage were broken and discarded, and we have reached this point. It's a tragic manifestation of history that the exact opposite struggle took place in the European Union: to prevent Türkiye from becoming a part of it. This is their legitimate political right. Now, as long as this political equation remains unchanged, it seems we have no chance of advancing different cooperation models beyond its current state. But the issue you're asking about is visa cooperation. This is a more technical matter, as it doesn't require political integration. This could easily be implemented. But right now, in a 27-country European Union, we clearly see that issues related to Türkiye are being held like a hostage for a long time. This is, of course, due to the malfunctioning of various mechanisms within the European Union, we see that major strategic goals are not being achieved due to minor technical reasons.

I want to emphasise this: Just as the narrow-mindedness displayed in Türkiye-EU membership led to the loss of strategic gains, it's crucial to recognize that the small obstacles now being posed in areas of cooperation outside of membership are actually hindering larger strategic interests and benefits. The problem is, there's no one around to see, understand, or analyse this. In other words, we're in this state of political blindness. How will we overcome this? I believe the biggest problem lies in Europe.

QUESTION - Yücel Koç, Türkiye Newspaper. Mr. Minister, I'll ask this: You've repeatedly emphasised the importance of lifting embargoes for Syria's recovery and reconstruction. Now, given this need, can the Syrian administration launch an operation against the YPG despite the US? If the Syrian administration doesn't, will Türkiye take this step as a last resort?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Friends, we've said this repeatedly. We have no chance of living with such a threat. Either someone else will, or we will.

QUESTION - Ömer Özkök, 24 Television. Mr. Minister, the role Türkiye has undertaken between Somalia and Ethiopia, and the resulting outcome, are perhaps one of the most concrete examples and indicators of the peace-oriented nature of our foreign policy mission, as you mentioned earlier. In your speech, you mentioned that similar meetings and similar steps have been taken in different regions. Some of these, due to the nature of the situation, have not been shared with the public or the press. Since they have been shared in part, I would like to ask. There were also statements suggesting that Türkiye's initiative was needed to resolve the problems between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. What can you share with us on this matter?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN: Dear colleagues, during our visit to the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks, we met with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Mohammed bin Zayed, and we had the opportunity to truly discuss regional issues in depth. One of these was the situation in Sudan and issues related to ending the conflict. Of course, the issue of resolving the tensions between Mr. Abdul Fattah Burhan, one of the conflicting parties, and the United Arab Emirates was also discussed. But beyond the conflict between the United Arab Emirates and Sudan, there's naturally a need for mediation between the parties in Sudan. There are functioning mechanisms. As you know, there's the Jeddah Process, run by Saudi Arabia and the United States. Various efforts have been made there. Unfortunately, the fighting hasn't stopped. Meanwhile, it's important to emphasise that, like other wars in our region, the war in Sudan is causing numerous casualties, displacing millions, and creating serious food and basic needs shortages. As the international community, we must all examine Sudan closely. The initial perspective, which began with a question of how the warring parties' political goals could be reconciled, has now reached a point where, just like the Ukraine war and the ongoing wars, it must stop immediately, prevent further human loss, and prevent further displacement. We're talking about millions of people, dear friends, and a recurrence here of this impossibility, which unfortunately persists elsewhere in Africa, is unacceptable, especially on this scale. We believe that, in accordance with the principle of consistency, Türkiye should demonstrate the same sensitivity in Sudan as it does in other regions.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Minister. The new administration in Syria naturally faces significant challenges in providing basic services, developing a new constitution, and ultimately organising elections. The leader is, of course, still being evaluated for his links to terrorism. What role does Türkiye envision playing in this process, regarding recommendations, suggestions, and concrete assistance?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: As I mentioned, we have established an inter-institutional coordination mechanism. Our ministries and state institutions in Türkiye are working at full speed to determine what they can do to address the infrastructure problems in Syria.

On the other hand, preliminary work has begun on what we can do with our international and regional partners. Currently, there is ongoing humanitarian aid activity, coordinated and facilitated by Türkiye. There is currently ongoing traffic to deliver a certain amount of food to the most deprived and inaccessible areas of Syria, particularly those experiencing food shortages.

On the other hand, there are ongoing efforts related to development, infrastructure, and electricity, which is a major problem. Qatar currently has some projects on the agenda. Türkiye is providing support in this regard. Jordan has some ideas on this matter. These are presently being put together. There will be some regional meetings in the coming days. The main focus of these meetings will undoubtedly be the swift harmonisation and acceleration of this aid. In short, I want to say this: This is now a permanent concern for us and for the countries in the region. We learned that the Gulf Cooperation Organisation has made a decision on this matter. Furthermore, we saw that the European Union has initiated institutional efforts on this issue. The United Nations has ongoing institutional efforts on this issue. The United States has also. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is undoubtedly stepping in. It is truly encouraging that all national actors and international institutions have begun working in a coordinated manner on this issue and have made this issue their primary concern.

It is extremely important that the new Syrian administration manages this cooperation properly, and that they are, at least in terms of intention, receptive to this cooperation. We believe this is a positive development. Hopefully, their institutional capacity will be sufficient to advance the assistance offers and areas of cooperation presented to them. We are making the necessary suggestions in this regard. Developing institutional capacity is important, and re-introducing financial instruments is crucial. There are parallel discussions and studies ongoing on this issue, particularly regarding the functioning of the Central Bank, which will allow the domestic market and trade to begin.

QUESTION: Good morning. Ioanis Mandalidis, Greek ERT television and Athens News Agency. You mentioned that there has been a positive momentum in bilateral relations, especially in Turkish-Greek relations, over the last two years. What can be expected from now on? Is there a specific timetable? With this understanding, how do you personally see Turkish-Greek relations 10 years from now? Furthermore, what is your take on the lack of progress on the Cyprus issue, despite the positive agenda between the two countries? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: You ask me what I personally want to see in 10 years, I expressed this yesterday, or the day before, at the press conference I held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Frankly, what I want to see is a world in which both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides of Cyprus, Greece and Türkiye, resolve their problems together and transform the Aegean and the Mediterranean into a region of peace, development, and prosperity. There's no reason why this shouldn't happen. I wholeheartedly believe that we can resolve these issues with a little courage, without changing our current lives or stances, without losing anything. But of course, there are historical sentiments we carry from the past, historical political interactions. That also affects the present; a different reality has emerged today. How will these sentiments we carry from the past be managed in today's reality? Frankly, this is where we need political leadership, real leadership. I see that the leaderships of both countries are currently striving to do this. Hopefully, we won't leave a massive pile of problems for future generations. So, how did we inherit this from previous generations? Hopefully, we'll resolve it so it doesn't fall to future generations. But as I said, we need to keep working.

QUESTION - Robert Badendieck of the Associated Press News Agency. My first question is, what are your current views and the situation with Abdullah Öcalan? My second question is, what is Türkiye's stance on the integration of the SDF into the new Syrian army?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN - Yes, starting with the last question, friends, the new administration is in Damascus. In line with our previously stated national security objectives, they're also stating the same thing. We want foreign terrorist fighters, actors from outside Syria, PKK members from Türkiye, Iraq, Iran, and Europe, to leave the country. There are truly incorrigible PKK cadres among the remaining Syrians, and we want them to leave as soon as possible. We support the integration of the remaining Syrians into Syria's new environment; we support this project. Of course, Syria's national security, unity, and integrity are important. We absolutely do not want to see a fragmented Syria, both politically and territorially. This fragmentation can be exploited by both regional bad actors, and unfortunately, as was revealed in the previous questions, it creates a basis for intervention for international actors, bringing instability to our region.

On the other issue, there is no change regarding the person you mentioned; the same situation in Imrali.

QUESTION: Hello, Mr. Minister, I am the Türkiye Istanbul regional correspondent for the Azerbaijan State News Agency, AZERTAC. You touched on the situation in the region after the Second Karabakh War, and I had a question about it. We know the current situation, with people living comfortably... The opening of the Zangezur Corridor is also expected there. I would like to hear your assessment and foresight on the impact of all these developments on the countries in the region in the future. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: The end of the Karabakh occupation was truly an incredible step towards achieving lasting peace in the region. I thank those who contributed to this and pray for Allah’s mercy upon those who were martyred. It is now necessary to make regional peace permanent and institutionalised. The fact that the Caucasus has been a veritable zone of instability for the last 100 years has not benefited any of us. Now, it's possible to take this even further; there's a historic window of opportunity. We truly appreciate Mr. Aliyev's decisive leadership on this issue. The steps he wants to take to develop both the region and Azerbaijan are important. Mr. Pashinyan also has a positive and courageous stance on this matter. As Türkiye, we are closely following his progress. However, for a lasting peace to be signed, several remaining items must be completed. We hope this will be completed by 2025. Based on this, we will build a more enduring and prosperous region.

QUESTION: Özay Şendir, Milliyet. Mr. Minister, the latest information from the region is that the Commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps held a meeting with Mazlum Abdi, the head of the terrorist organisation's Syrian branch, at Bafel Talabani's headquarters in Sulaymaniyah. Can we say that Türkiye has received what it wanted from Tehran in the fight against terrorism, or that it has met its expectations? I'd like to ask this first. There are also messages Türkiye has sent to Sulaymaniyah, such as the flight ban. Have these messages been sufficiently understood? What do you think, sir?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: We want to maintain our good neighborly relations with Iran. We want to advance our relations in every field. Frankly, we expect their support in our fight against the PKK. We have repeatedly conveyed this to them, and we are reiterating this.

There may be actors in Iran who have different views on the PKK, and we are aware of this. We have not made Iran's stance on the PKK a topic discussed openly due to the sensitivity of our relations. But this is no secret: Our expectation as Türkiye, not only from Iran but also from anyone, be it American, European, or Russian, is that they refrain from supporting any organisation or structure that has an armed hostility problem with us. We do not support anyone's armed enemy, and no one should support or remain indifferent to our armed enemy. Therefore, we are frankly reviewing and monitoring our relations. I believe Iran will abandon continuing its policy in the region with certain habits. Frankly, I believe they may employ different policy options in the new era.

QUESTION: Thank you. Katharina Willinger, ARD, German Broadcasting Corporation. I have a question regarding the ongoing peace process with the PKK. If they do not reach an agreement with the YPG or their partners in Syria and do not lay down their weapons, what does this mean for dialogue with PKK leaders? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Dear friends, as you know, the organisation has relations with many countries, operational relations with many intelligence services, and relations with the military structures of many countries. The extent to which an organisation so infiltrated and manipulated might react strongly to instructions from its own leadership is, of course, another area of ​​concern. We've clearly experienced this in the past. In the past, the organisation's leadership issued instructions to "put down your weapons and leave," and a movement along these lines began, but then, using the Syrian issue as an excuse, they halted it and pursued a different path.

Now, approximately 10, 11 years later, we're facing the same scenario again. Will they listen? As I said, it's their choice. But as a state, as a political entity, our calculations and book of thought must be based not on such hypothetical matters, but on more rational, realistic calculations. Therefore, we conduct threat analysis professionally. After conducting this threat analysis, we determine the diplomatic, military, and intelligence tools needed to eliminate the threat and proceed on our path. In doing so, we comply with international law and international humanitarian law to the fullest extent. We do not compromise our alliance rights in any way. We have no covetous interests in the lands of the countries on the other side of our border. Our goal is to eliminate a threat that is our enemy. The threat will either cease to be our enemy, and we will be able to verify this, or it will evolve into another dimension or disappear. We do not advocate violence for violence's sake. The occasional equating of the organisation with the Kurds, and the use of such terms in the West, is unacceptable. Just as we do not refer to ISIS as Arab, nor do we classify the fight against ISIS as a fight against Arabs, it is also inaccurate terminology to use the fight against the PKK and the YPG as a fight against the Kurds. The Kurds in Syria and Iraq are our dear brothers and sisters. Equating them with terrorist organizations, using this language in the West, and claiming that we are fighting the Kurds when we fight the YPG is also wrong and a deliberate distortion. I want to express this on this occasion.

Here's a point the whole world already knows: the PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by the European Union, the United States, and everyone else. The US has put price for the capture of the leaders of this organisation, but it's quite another matter to portray another subsidiary, an organisation run by these leaders, as outside the organisation, using a hundred thousand wordplays, as if it were outside the organization, and to act in a different way. But this isn't the first inconsistency America has committed, nor will it be the last. America is able to make these inconsistencies in the region, looking everyone in the eye, because unfortunately, it demonstrates an attitude of "I'm strong, I can do it." This, of course, doesn't set a good example for the world in terms of moral values ​​or setting an example.

QUESTION - Ali Adakoğlu, Milat Newspaper. Mr. Minister, we are in a period where blocs like the classic East-West bloc are collapsing and local alliances are taking hold. In this context, is there a need for new umbrella organisations like the UN or similar, and could they emerge? Another question I have is that, as you know, the world's eyes are on the Middle East, but there are conflict zones hanging by a thread in the Asia-Pacific and the Balkans. Could the Asia-Pacific and the Balkans become new conflict zones in 2025 and beyond? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Everyone is already saying that the United Nations treaty and the way its institutions operate, which form the institutional foundation of the international system—to a certain extent, of course—need to be updated. This is something that both the United Nations and the G20 member countries have officially accepted. As you saw, most recently during the Brazilian presidency of the G20, one of the topics of discussion was, "There needs to be an update, but how will we do it?" Of course, you see the tendency of the leading actors in the current system to implement the update to their own advantage. Of course, we must express this by drawing lessons from history. We will either learn from wisdom and continue on our path, make changes, or face disaster. Unfortunately, human history, rather than wisdom, experiences evil, hitting a low point, and then manifests restructuring and institutionalisation as the means to rise from this depths. We can clearly see this with our own minds and lived experiences: we are in a system of over 190 existing nation-states, and these nation-states are becoming increasingly powerful. Some are old nation-states, others are new nation-states, and these nation-states are gradually gaining in power and influence. On the other hand, there is the emergence of non-nation-state actors, especially very large-capital technology companies. These technology companies are not merely wealthy and large due to the products they sell or the profits they make; their technology has become capable of influencing world politics, social trends, and security balances beyond the reach of a state actor for the first time, which is very important. These are, of course, new phenomena. We must genuinely seek answers to all of these. But unfortunately, no one will pursue a common good at the expense of their own interests, and we see this too. And when we face a crisis, humanity pays the price, and then a certain improvement is made. History has always played out this way until now, and then a new order is established, a system is established, and so on.

What we, as Türkiye, must do now is to both announce this perceived threat universally, including to the entire world in the current context, to demonstrate our contribution, and to make our region, especially our own, more resilient and prepared for such crises and problems.

QUESTION: Good morning, Mr. Minister. Anne Chaon, from AFP. First, I want to return to the issue of foreign jihadist fighters. This is a very sensitive issue for France. Have you had direct contact with French authorities on this matter? My second question is, will Ahmed Shara visit Türkiye in the near future? Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Friends, we have been discussing with France for many years, since my time as Director of Intelligence, the fate of these French-born, French citizen ISIS members in prison. The answers we have received have always been the same. Some states have such policies. They don't want to bring ISIS detainees back to their own lands, to their own prisons; they keep them there, but they don't care about threatening our national security in doing so. We're trying to expose this distortion and implement a more understanding policy. Okay, so you may not want to see this citizen on your own soil, but there are solutions that will both serve your purpose and eliminate my threat. Let's meet here. This is our proposal. What makes us sensitive is that they always put forward their own demands and never take any concrete steps regarding our concerns. We don't expect them to; we take concrete steps ourselves regarding our own concerns. We will continue to do so. As you know, our President has a famous saying on this matter: "To cut our own umbilical cord ourselves." It's a beautiful Turkish expression.

QUESTION - Jonathan Spicer, from Reuters. I want to ask a question about Russia, and also about Syria. Do you consider the practices Russia has been carrying out in Syria for nine years a failure? At the same time, do you think Russia will maintain its presence at two ports in Syria? What is the bilateral relationship between Russia and Türkiye regarding Syria?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN: Dear colleagues, Russia provided military support to Syria at the request of the previous regime. It pursued a specific policy. But we must also emphasise this. Since 2017, with the momentum spurred by the relationship between our President and Putin, we have taken important steps to implement the Astana Process. As this process continued, we have had the opportunity to see what Russia's goals and actions are in the region, and we have had intense discussions. Ultimately, as I've previously assessed, Russia has made a very rational decision. It has concluded that supporting Bashar Assad no longer benefits either Russia or the region. My guess is that they had foreseen this view long ago. But I believe the events following the capture of Aleppo have further fuelled this trend. Otherwise, the Russians had military capabilities and could have used them, but they chose not to. We've had extensive contacts on this issue. Frankly, they acted with a rational actor model here. So, there's no point in repeating the mistake made in 2016.

The future of Russian bases in Syria… As you know, Ahmed Shara has also made statements on this matter. I believe this issue will evolve depending on the negotiations the new Syrian administration will hold with the Russians. As you know, the Russians did not intervene, as per the tacit agreement made during the fall of Damascus. The revolutionaries also ensured the safe return of Russian troops to their bases and did not launch attacks on them. With such a temporary agreement, the new situation has been reached. We will all see what the next agreement will evolve into, and how it will evolve. But we have also seen the departure of a large number of aircraft and ships from Russian bases in Syria.

QUESTION - HaberTürk TV, Gizem Üstün. Mr. Minister, the Trump administration is starting in 10 days; he is taking over. These 10 days are also seen as a critical period for a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump has made various statements, particularly those suggesting that if the hostages aren't released within 10 days, the Middle East will experience hell. What are your assessments of these statements and what are your views on the possibility of a ceasefire within 10 days? Furthermore, Trump's newly appointed cabinet members have consistently been identified as pro-Israel. How will these new steps impact relations between Ankara and Washington? Thank you very much.

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN: We are currently seeing some progress in the ceasefire negotiations, my dear friends. Essentially, last week there was hope that an agreement might be reached. Hopefully, we will maintain this hope next week or in the coming days, and that agreement will be reached on certain issues. That is our expectation. As I have stated, an immediate ceasefire is also extremely important for regional peace. We support Mr. Trump's desire for a ceasefire and find it positive. We also see that his statements and threats are related to an immediate ceasefire, and that he intends to abandon these issues and focus on other matters when he returns. Our expectation is that he and his team will work together to advance issues such as Turkish-American relations, the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Russia-Ukraine peace, lasting peace in the Middle East, and peace in the Balkans in the best possible way. Türkiye's political leadership, our President, and its institutional experience have all reached a certain level of excellence in this regard over the years. Mr. Trump and his team also know us from their previous term. Our position never changes. We have no hidden agenda. We are completely open and transparent. We don't prioritise only our own interests; we also put forward policies that take into account the interests of our partners. Our expectation is that efforts in this direction will continue and that there will be an awareness of this. However, it appears that a truly significant foreign policy shift awaits the American system. In this shift, some regional issues—which may seem nuanced to them but fundamental to us—may be overlooked. Perhaps we need to make an effort to address this. We will continue to work together in the new era, dear friends.

Thank you again for your participation and interest.

I hope the new year brings you happiness and peace.

I wish all foreign press members visiting Türkiye a pleasant time in our country.

Thank you, friends, thank you.

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