“Since March 2011, there has been a civil war and internal turmoil in Syria. Over the past 10 years, more than half of the people in Syria have been displaced within the country or had to flee abroad. About a third of the population fled abroad. This means a population of more than 8 million. More than half of them came to Turkey. If Turkey wants the refugees who fled Syria and took refuge in Turkey to go back there, what it needs to do is not open a space for them with a military intervention. What Turkey has to do is to take steps to ensure that the war there ends as soon as possible. It is to help restore peace and tranquility there and to ensure that each and every one of the Syrian citizens reunites with their hometown, village, neighborhood, city, home, field, and garden that they have left,” Yapıcıoğlu said at a press conference in Turkey’s eastern Muş province.

"Although changing the demographic structure of Syria may seem profitable in the short term, it will destabilize it in the long term"

Stressing that changing the demographic structure of Syria, although it may seem profitable in the short term, it will destabilize Syria in the long term, Yapıcıoğlu continued his remarks as follows:

“You would not have done the right thing if you placed the person who had to flee from the southernmost part of Syria and came here, in a different place, in someone else's house, in the easternmost, northern or western part of Syria. If you turn the people who took refuge in you and who left their lands for the safety of life waiting for your help in the short term into an opportunity to change the demographic structure of some places, you would be wrong. Taking any action that will result in the changes in demographic structure will increase the instability there in the long term, although it may seem profitable in the short term. While taking any steps regarding domestic or international issues, at home or abroad, it is absolutely necessary to stay on the ground of legitimacy, and to act within the framework of law, within the framework of universal legal principles. In our opinion, the most important thing to do about Syria is to make an effort to end the internal turmoil and war there as soon as possible. We have been saying since 2011-2012, as this war continues, this fire will certainly cause damage to the surrounding countries in one way or another.”

"If Greece is provoked by someone, it will suffer the most"

Lastly, touching on the Greek issue, Yapıcıoğlu said: “Greece's attitudes lately, in my opinion, are not something that only Greece has decided. It is as if someone is encouraging and provoking Greece in certain issues, especially in tensioning the atmosphere. Greece should not be fooled by these games. If Greece falls for these games, it may harm Turkey, but it will suffer the most. Greece should not go into this adventure just because someone provoked him and patted him on the back while he was going to suffer the most. Steps to the detriment of both peoples should be vigorously avoided.” (ILKHA)