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"We will protect our rights in the Blue Homeland till the end"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

31.08.2024

Speaking at the Naval War College Commencement and Flag Handover Ceremony, President Erdoğan said: "We will protect our rights in the Blue Homeland, trivialized by some, till the end. We will not allow the rights of our Cypriot Turkish brothers and sisters to be violated. We will resolutely put into action whatever Türkiye's interests necessitate in the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean without seeking anyone's approval or without heeding who says what."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks during the Naval War College Commencement and Flag Handover Ceremony in Istanbul.

"TURKISH NAVY WILL CLIMB TO A VERY DISTINCTIVE LEAGUE"

Drawing attention to the steps taken uninterruptedly to reinforce the Turkish Armed Forces, apple of the eye of the Turkish nation, President Erdoğan noted that the new-type submarine project has been coming to fruition gradually, and said: "We plan to commission our Hızır Reis submarine in 2025 and Murat Reis submarine in 2026. We will complete the remaining three submarines by 2029. We will thus have added to the ranks of our Naval Forces six modern submarines that have more advanced qualities than their equivalents."

Stressing that Türkiye will be among the few countries in the world in the area of submarines with the MILDEN project, President Erdoğan stated: "We continue our contacts regarding our aircraft carrier that is set to be the big brother of our navy's flagship, Anadolu. The Turkish Navy will climb to a very distinctive league with the inclusion of our aircraft carrier following our UCAV carrier."

Noting that Türkiye has been doing whatever is necessary to be an effective naval power that has a high level of deterrence and operational capability, President Erdoğan added that much bigger successes will be achieved by using the distance covered over the past 22 years as a stepping stone.

"WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE RIGHTS OF OUR CYPRIOT TURKISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO BE VIOLATED"

Stating that Türkiye cannot reach its targeted destination if it turns its face only to the west, President Erdoğan pointed out that Türkiye can become a powerful, prosperous, prestigious and effective country only if it strengthens its relations with the west and the east concurrently. "Any way other than this would not benefit but harm Türkiye, pushing it off the equation," said President Erdoğan. "Therefore, we are under no obligation to make a choice between the European Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as some claim. Quite the contrary, we have to improve our relations both with these and with other organizations on a win-win basis. We have always acted with this understanding over the past 22 years."

"While developing our relations with different geographies, we have shaped our policies by caring about 'what our nation says' rather than 'what others say.' This is how we will continue on our path in the future as well," said President Erdoğan. "We will protect our rights in the Blue Homeland, trivialized by some, till the end. We will not allow the rights of our Cypriot Turkish brothers and sisters to be violated. We will resolutely put into action whatever Türkiye's interests necessitate in the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean without seeking anyone's approval or without heeding who says what."