Deputy Director of Communications Çağatay Özdemir (PhD) reminded during his opening speech at the conference that it had been 9 years since the outbreak of the bloody civil war in Syria, saying that hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in the meantime, millions of civilians took refuge in foreign countries, particularly in neighbouring countries, and again millions of Syrian citizens went to relatively safer areas within the borders of their country and managed to survive so far.

Indicating that Turkey was one of the countries that paid heavy prices due to the Syrian crisis, which is described as "the biggest humanitarian crisis since the World War II" by the United Nations, Özdemir said that Turkey, which had been hosting around 3.5 million Syrian refugees for years, outstripped countries with larger economic potential than itself, and was dubbed "the most generous country of the world"

"Turkey is the hope for millions of people struggling to survive"

Stressing that Turkey met the refugees’ needs for education, healthcare and shelter, and became the hope for millions of people struggling to survive thanks to hundreds of camps it set up to the south of the Syrian border, Özdemir continued as follows:

"While the violence and instability prevailing in Syria provides a favourable environment for terrorist organizations, bloody-minded terrorists fed by this atmosphere, turned their barrels on our citizens. In recent years, Turkey has vehemently fought against both DAESH and PKK terrorist organizations as well as its Syrian extension PYD/YPG. Turkey was the first country to send combatant forces to Syria in order to fight against DAESH terrorist organization. We eradicated DAESH terrorist organization from the borders of NATO thanks to the Operation Euphrates Shield launched in 2016. We made our friends and allies, especially the European Union, breathe a sigh of relief. In Dabiq, we buried the terrorists who said it would be the scene for the "last battle". We cleansed every house of terrorists in al-Bab, which would be one of the largest cities of their so-called state. "

Özdemir reminded that the PKK/PYD-YPG terrorist organization, which wanted to prevent Turkey from fighting against DAESH during the Operation Euphrates Shield, was moved out of Afrin as part of the Operation Olive Branch, and this area used by the terrorists to target Turkey was cleansed of terrorism. Özdemir also said, "Lastly, through the Operation Peace Spring, we cleansed the Tal Abyad - Ras al-Ayn line of the separatist terrorist organization, which was planning attacks on our citizens and sending militants, weapons and explosives through tunnels to our territory."

"Turkey desires peace and stability in its region"

Özdemir noted that, in the safe zones where Turkey has restored peace in collaboration with the Syrian National Army, children were attending their schools, patients were receiving healthcare services, and the economic situation began to improve, suggesting in a nutshell that war-shadowed lives were gradually returning to normal. Özdemir continued as follows:

Turkey, which desires peace and stability to prevail in its region and is always taking steps to that end, continues its efforts to preserve and defend the territorial integrity and the political unity of its neighbours. This approach also applies to the Idlib region, which has been secured from attacks by the Syrian regime as a result of our diplomatic contacts with the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran in the last two years.

"Turkey has no eye on even an inch of any country’s territory"

Today, while we are hoping for talks in Moscow to bring about an agreement, we still remain determined not to leave millions of innocent people to the tender mercies of a bloody war criminal. As we reaffirm that we have no eye on even an inch of any country’s territory, we pledge that those who seek to harm even a single strand of our brave soldiers’ hair will not go unpunished. On this occasion, I would once again like to wish God’s mercy upon our martyrs and comely patience to their grieving families, as well as a speedy recovery to our wounded soldiers."

Emphasizing that no one should forget how the great Turkish nation was in full unity with the Turkish soldiers and their hearts were beating as one with them, Özdemir said, "Those targeting our brave soldiers were made to pay the price; those who bombed innocent civilians with barrel bombs are no longer able to walk freely outside. Our brave army, which gives confidence to friends and fear to foes, has not let the blood of its fellow soldiers go unrevenged thanks to the prayers of millions of innocent people and the support of our nation."

"Conflict and tears are not the Middle East’s destiny"

Özdemir expressed his objection to the mentality that conflicts, tears and poverty were the Middle East’s destiny, and continued, "We envision a geography in which love prevails over hate, peace prevails over war, fair distribution overwhelms conflicts of interest, and resources are geared towards the welfare and happiness of citizens rather than expansionism, armed proxies and instigation."

"Turkey is regrettably witnessing that some countries do not share the importance Turkey places on people" Özdemir said, and added, "The massacre by Greek soldiers against the unarmed, defenceless asylum seekers massed on Turkey’s western border trying to enter Europe has provided a clear example of the dire consequences of politics disconnected from the people. The European Union’s patting on the back of uniformed bandits, who punctured the rubber boats carrying children in the rough seas and who were only strong enough to rule over the innocent, has been the evidence of this shame, while it claims to give a lesson of human rights to the world."

"Our European friends have not kept any of their promises"

Reminding that Turkey, a country of its word, fulfilled the requirements of the agreement it signed with the European Union in 2016, Özdemir said:

Our European friends, on the other hand, have not kept any of their promises from visa liberalization to the renewal of the Customs Union agreement, the opening of new chapters, financial assistance and voluntary readmission. The accusation of our country for not taking the necessary steps regarding irregular migration can only be described as an effort of the European Union to try and cover up its hesitant attitude.

"Long-term solutions should be implemented in collaboration"

Stating that it had been 9 years since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, Özdemir said that comprehensive and long-term solutions should be implemented in collaboration, rather than temporary measures to save the day, and that time and energy should be devoted to finding a complete cure for the disease instead of treating its symptoms.

Noting that even if it was possible to stop the humanitarian crisis in Idlib, it could not be ignored that millions of Syrians lived in the regions under the control of the regime, Özdemir pointed out that it

was the common duty of the entire humanity to invent a future for these people and prevent the Syrian children from being wasted by the terrorist organizations and human smugglers.

Expressing that Turkey proved how sincere it was with the steps it took on the ground and its human-oriented approach regarding the Syrian crisis, Özdemir added: "The fact that Turkey is the only country, which put forth a comprehensive plan to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, demonstrates how sincere it is with the steps it has taken regarding Syria. The safe zone plan our President shared with the whole world at the session of the UN General Assembly is a peace project that will restore tranquillity in our region. The international society should support this project, which will restore peace and stability in our region, without losing any more time." (ILKHA)