“We expect strong solidarity in the extradition of FETO fugitives and separatist organization ringleaders to our country,” Erdoğan said, adding that in 2021, 64 persons wanted for various charges such as organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, murder, child sexual abuse, looting, and theft have been extradited to Turkey.

Erdoğan recalled that the meeting scheduled to take place last year had to be postponed due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Expressing his delight at the opportunity to host the participants in Turkey as the pandemic conditions eased, Erdoğan wished that the meeting would be auspicious for the countries, peoples, and all humanity. Erdoğan commemorated the INTERPOL members who had lost their lives to the coronavirus pandemic.

Erdoğan went on to explain that with 194 members, INTERPOL is one of the world's largest organizations and that Turkey joined the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC), which was the predecessor to INTERPOL, in 1930, and noted the following:

“As one of the organization’s founding members, we have hosted two general assembly meetings so far. We received INTERPOL members in our country twice, the first in İstanbul in 1955 on the occasion of the 24th General Assembly Meeting, and subsequently in Antalya in 1996 for the 65th General Assembly Meeting. After 25 years, we are ecstatic to be hosting the organization’s most notable event in İstanbul, our lovely city of history, culture, and civilization.”

Erdoğan indicated that Turkey, situated in the heart of Asia, Europe, and Africa, has been facing a variety of security threats.

Erdoğan went on to say that, as a result of the region's instability, new threats have been introduced to Turkey’s approximate 40-year struggle against the terrorist organization PKK, and added:

“Turkey has been one of the most affected countries by the conflicts, particularly in our neighboring countries of Syria and Iraq. We presently have 5 million refugees, 3.6 million of whom are Syrians, who have been compelled to flee their country for various reasons. From DAESH to FETO, PKK-PYD, to other blood-shedding structures, we are engaged in a fierce and relentless struggle against all kinds of terrorism. In the same vein, any development occurring in a vast geography extending from the Balkans to North Africa, from the Caucasus to Asia, immediately impacts us. In the face of these security threats, we protect the safety of our citizens' lives and property, as well as the unity and integrity of our country, while also contributing to international security. We are the only country that engages in close-quarters combat with DAESH, as well as defeats this organization disastrously. With the intelligence we provided to source countries about the foreign terrorist fighters, we were able to avert many terrorist attacks. With the hot pursuit operations against the PKK terrorist organization’s Syrian branch, we have saved more than 4 million people from the molestation of this organization.”

“Turkey is among the top ten countries with over 2,000 red notices that it has issued”

Erdoğan stated that they took strong steps against FETO, which martyred 251 civilians on the night of July 15 both within and beyond the country's borders.

Noting that they averted tragedies that would have otherwise cost tens of thousands of lives as a result of the measures they implemented in the Aegean Sea and that they have recently achieved significant success in the fight against migrant smuggling, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and organized crime, Erdoğan said:

“As Turkey, we value exchanging our knowledge in all of these fields with law enforcement forces from friendly and brotherly countries. INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization, comes on top of the organizations with which we enhance collaboration. For over 90 years, we have been a strong supporter of INTERPOL's work. We are one of the leading countries in both the number of notices issued and the amount of data submitted into INTERPOL databases. Turkey is one of the top ten countries with over 2,000 red notices that it has issued. Recently, we have witnessed the tremendous usefulness of red notices in the capture and extradition of known offenders to our country. In 2021, 64 persons wanted for various charges ranging from organized crime to drug trafficking, fraud, murder, child sexual abuse, looting, and theft persons were extradited to our country.”

“We do not approve of their efforts to interfere with INTERPOL”

Expressing his gratitude to the INTERPOL General Secretariat and relevant country authorities for their support in their fight against crime and criminals, Erdoğan said:

“We expect the cooperation on ordinary crimes to be exhibited in the fight against terrorism as well. We expect strong solidarity in the extradition of FETO fugitives and separatist organization ringleaders to our country. Let us not forget that every crime that goes unpunished would drive the perpetrator to be even wilder. Terrorists who target democracy, murder innocents without regard for women, children, the elderly, and civilian civil servants should not be allowed to walk free. On the other hand, we do not approve of the efforts of some Western countries and international organizations to interfere with INTERPOL directly. It is critical that INTERPOL unconditionally supports the fight against terrorism without adopting a position based on the standpoints of the member states. I believe that the issues to be discussed at the General Assembly will make meaningful contributions to the security and stability of our countries. Concluding my remarks with these thoughts, I wish the 89th General Assembly Meeting to be successful and the effectiveness of the activities carried out under the umbrella of INTERPOL to increase. I congratulate those who contributed to the organization of the meeting and thank you in advance for your support in our struggle to make our world a safer place.” (ILKHA)