In his weekly statement about foreign agenda, Sağlam has addressed many issues about ongoing development across the world, including the works on COVID-19 vaccine, the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the normalization deals between some Muslim countries and zionist occupation regime.

Emphasizing that the pharmaceutical companies carrying out works to develop COVID-19 vaccine prioritize their profit rather than human health, Sağlam said: “About 1 million people have died from coronavirus pandemic worldwide. Just as the virus has spread around the world, the Pharmaceutical companies have also intensified their researches to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Most people around the globe are closely following the studies for vaccine development at the moment. In these studies, where some countries have allocated large budgets, no vaccine has yet been developed. Although it is a welcome development that Phase-3 studies of the Covid-19 vaccine recently developed in China have also begun in Turkey, the fact that the experiments on human beings have been launched much faster than usual has also raised serious concerns. It is a fact that capitalist systems focus more on commercial opportunism than on human beings. The pharmaceutical companies also prioritize to produce a vaccine before everyone else, rather than human health, in the vaccine development process.”

Stating that there should be no rush to use vaccines whose long-term side effects are unknown, even if clinical tests have been completed, Sağlam went on to say: “Rushing the vaccine to get rid of the negative effects of the epidemic can have worse consequences. A false sense of confidence in a vaccine that does not provide protection or has severe side effects can end in disaster. The WHO's warning that a vaccine that will completely end the outbreak may never be found, and the most effective protection at the moment is the mask and social distancing, should be taken into account. Measures should not be relaxed until a safe vaccine is developed, and in the economy/human dilemma, human should definitely be given priority.”

Criticizing the resolution voted by the European Parliament against Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, he said the move showed the biased attitude of the European Parliament.

"It is impossible for the parties to profit from a possible armed conflict"

“The resolution, which was voted on in the European Parliament, stressed solidarity with Greece, as well as calling on Turkey to stop drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean. The resolution, which referred to Turkey's exploration and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean as illegal, overlooked Turkey's legitimate rights. Emphasizing solidarity with Greece, which has been pursuing an uncompromising policy, and ignoring Turkey's calls for dialogue and negotiations since the beginning of the process, the resolution revealed the EP's biased position once again,” said Sağlam and noted the following:

“Attempts to escalate tensions by some countries, which aims to profit from polarization and possible armed conflict over the eastern Mediterranean, have reached a dangerous dimension. Using a reasonable language based on dialogue and negotiation in this process and revealing the will to protect its rights and interests against the polarization in the region, are of great importance for Turkey. It is impossible for the parties to profit from a possible armed conflict. For this reason, the channels of dialogue and diplomacy should not be closed. In the eastern Mediterranean issue, international organizations should take a neutral position and carry out a study in order to determine precisely the sovereignty areas and to prevent violations, and a solution based on fairness should be provided within the framework of international law.”

Criticizing the agreements of the UAE and Bahrain on the "normalization of relations" with the zionist regime, Sağlam said that the Palestinian people need unity and solidarity more than ever against this betrayal.

“All Palestinian resistance groups should come together to liberate Jerusalem”

Sağlam continued his remarks as follows: “The agreement on the ‘normalization of relations’ between the UAE, Bahrain and the Zionist regime was signed at a meeting attended by Trump at the White House. The agreement, which Trump described as ‘the dawn of a new Middle East', is a great betrayal of Jerusalem, Palestine and the Islamic Ummah. The UAE, Bahrain and other countries that are likely to join them should know that they are on the side of the zionist regime, and support the occupation against the Palestinian people. They will earn the hatred of their own people and the entire Ummah.”

“Against these rulers who sell their souls and bodies to the enemies of Islam, their own people should react in the first place and never accept this betrayal. In this sense, the demonstrations in Bahrain are very valuable. Protests should continue, becoming widespread. In the face of this betrayal, the Palestinians need unity and solidarity much more than ever before. All resistance groups must be able to come together in the common denominator of the liberation of Jerusalem, putting aside all differences. A unified Palestine will leave the steps of betrayal fruitless. Another step of the betrayal project is that a project man like Muhammed Dahlan, who has been in cooperation with the occupation regime throughout his life, is sought to be put in charge of the so-called ‘Unity Government’. The Palestinian people will never allow a Zionist collaborator to be their leader. (ILKHA)