Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, stated that following his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, he was given 60 days to finalize plans for the development road that will link Turkey’s large port of Al-Faw to the European market and enable all Gulf ports to promote trade between the East and the West. He emphasized that Baghdad, Abu Dhabi, and Ankara are currently the project’s main partners.
The Turkish Anatolia Agency reports that he made these remarks at news conferences on board the aircraft on his way back from a one-day official visit to Egypt on Wednesday.
Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq are the principal participants in the “Development Road” initiative, which aims to establish a new “Silk Road” for the area and promote peace in it.
I hope the project will be finished as best it can, as we discussed it during my visit to the UAE a few days ago.
We hope that these studies and plan will move to implementation. UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed proposed setting a period of sixty days to finish planning studies and start the project. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Oraloglu continues to meet with his counterparts (in Iraq and the UAE).
It is a valuable initiative for all parties involved, since the growth path would allow the Gulf area and adjacent nations to reach the European market through Turkey.
Regarding the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party’s backing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Sulaymaniyah, I assert that when it comes to Turkey and its national security, there is no room for tolerance and that Turkey would take all necessary action.
As long as the formation of a “terrorist” organization is prohibited within our boundaries, we are free to engage in any kind of activity with our neighbors in the area.
As seen by the travels to Iraq by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Guler, and Chief of the Intelligence Service Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey is friendly to those who make the first move toward friendship.
Good things are happening between Turkey and Iraq in terms of action, whether it is with regard to the central government in Baghdad or the Kurdistan region’s governance.
Turkey is the only country that will maintain the geographical integrity of Iraq and Syria. We have warned them repeatedly about Sulaymaniyah’s bad approach and the creation of new entities; if you give them the chance, you will stay alone.
The Erbil government’s efforts to combat terrorism are gathering steam, but regrettably, Sulaymaniyah and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party are still backing the PKK, YPG, and PYD terrorist groups in spite of our repeated warnings.
