Politics
Turkish Cypriot FM says Türkiye’s guarantee is ‘red line’
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said Wednesday that Türkiye’s military presence on the island and its guarantor status remain a “red line” for the Turkish Cypriot people, arguing they are essential for security, regional stability and the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In a written statement carried by the Turkish New Agency-Cyprus (TAK), Ertuğruloğlu rejected renewed calls for a federal settlement to the decades-old Cyprus dispute, saying past negotiations had repeatedly demonstrated that such efforts were no longer viable.
“The reality on the island is the existence of two sovereign states living side by side,” he said, arguing that attempts to hold the Turkish Cypriot community responsible for the lack of a settlement through international isolation were unjustified.
Ertuğruloğlu said Türkiye’s “effective and de facto guarantee” and the continued presence of Turkish troops on the island were indispensable to the security of Turkish Cypriots. He also described Türkiye’s role as the strongest guarantee of the strategic balance between Türkiye and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean and of broader regional stability.
The minister criticized Greek Cypriot positions during previous rounds of U.N.-backed peace negotiations, saying their insistence on governing the island alone, treating Turkish Cypriots as a minority and demanding “zero troops, zero guarantees” had rendered federation-based solutions obsolete.
He referred to the 2004 U.N.-backed Annan Plan and the 2017 talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, as examples of failed efforts that demonstrated the limits of a federal model.
Ertuğruloğlu said the future of Turkish Cypriots lay in strengthening the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in close cooperation with Türkiye rather than returning to what he described as exhausted negotiation frameworks.
He also criticized attempts to link progress in Türkiye’s relations with the European Union to developments in the Cyprus issue, accusing the bloc of consistently siding with the Greek Cypriot administration.
“How can the European Union, which has always taken the side of the Greek Cypriots, be expected to act fairly toward the Turkish Cypriot people?” he said.
Recalling the 2004 referendum on the Annan Plan, Ertuğruloğlu said Turkish Cypriots had learned from what he described as the EU’s failure to fulfill expectations following their support for the plan.
Türkiye has increasingly advocated a two-state solution for Cyprus in recent years, arguing that any lasting settlement must be based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan pledged Wednesday to deepen their strategic partnership by expanding trade, investment and transportation cooperation while reaffirming support for diplomatic efforts to resolve regional conflicts.
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev made the remarks after co-chairing the seventh meeting of the Türkiye-Kyrgyzstan Joint Strategic Planning Group with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
Speaking at a joint news conference, Kulubayev described the talks as “productive and comprehensive,” saying they were held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, openness and trust.
“The discussions clearly demonstrated our shared determination to further strengthen and develop cooperation between our countries,” he said.
The ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and discussed concrete steps to deepen cooperation in a wide range of fields, including trade, investment, transportation, education and cultural exchanges.
Kulubayev said the two sides also discussed preparations for reciprocal visits by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Kyrgyzstan.
He said economic cooperation remained one of the meeting’s top priorities, adding that both governments reaffirmed their political support for mutually beneficial investment projects and their commitment to creating favorable conditions for new joint initiatives.
The ministers also discussed measures to facilitate travel, work and educational opportunities for citizens of both countries while strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Highlighting regional connectivity, Kulubayev said the Middle Corridor remains one of Kyrgyzstan’s strategic priorities.
He said Bishkek aims to connect the planned China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to the Middle Corridor, allowing access through Türkiye to European and Arab markets.
“For us, the Middle Corridor is one of the most important routes,” Kulubayev said.
Regional and global security issues also featured prominently during the talks, according to the Kyrgyz minister.
He said both countries agreed that international disputes should be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and international law rather than conflict.
Kulubayev also praised Türkiye’s diplomatic mediation efforts in regional crises.
“We have always supported Türkiye’s reforms and its mediation efforts,” he said. “Türkiye plays one of the most important roles in establishing peace in the region and resolving crises.”
He thanked President Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Fidan for their diplomatic initiatives and invited Fidan to pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan.
Kulubayev also expressed gratitude for Türkiye’s support during Kyrgyzstan’s successful campaign for a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.
He said Kyrgyzstan intends to serve as a constructive bridge-builder capable of promoting dialogue and diplomacy among countries with differing interests while advocating for the interests of landlocked developing countries, mountainous nations and small island states.
An audit report has raised questions over the finances and record-keeping of a foundation whose board of trustees includes senior members of Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), according to documents submitted to an Izmir court.
The report by Türkiye’s General Directorate of Foundations, which was presented to the Izmir 15th Criminal Court of First Instance, examines the financial records of the Türkiye Promotion, Research, Democracy and Secular Formation Foundation, known as TÜLOV.
Among those listed as members of the foundation’s board of trustees are CHP lawmakers Özgür Özel and Veli Ağbaba.
According to the audit, the foundation’s reported income increased from TL 99,000 (approximately $2,100) in 2020 to TL 268,000 in 2021 and TL 3.9 million in 2022 before reaching TL 37.4 million (about $805,000) in 2023, the year Türkiye held presidential and parliamentary elections. The report said expenditures for 2023 matched the reported income.
Auditors also identified what they described as inconsistencies in the foundation’s “Askıda Bilet” (Ticket on Hold) and “Democracy Ticket” campaigns, which were launched after the devastating Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes to help university students and displaced voters travel to their registered polling locations.
The report said nearly 19,000 ticket vouchers appeared to have been entered into the system more than once. It also cited more than 700 duplicate tickets and about 300 cases in which different passenger names were associated with the same electronic ticket number. Auditors further reported discrepancies involving national identity numbers, telephone records and ticket information, as well as differences between the foundation’s records and those provided by a contracted bus company.
The audit also referred to allegations involving Muğla Mayor Ahmet Aras, saying that while serving as mayor of Bodrum, he allocated municipal property to the foundation for two years in a manner that allegedly violated regulations and that the foundation continued using the premises without paying rent after the allocation period expired.
Türkiye’s Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said on Wednesday that new regulations governing social media networks and online gaming platforms represent a major step toward strengthening child safety in the digital environment, as the government unveiled its roadmap for child rights policies through 2030.
Speaking at the Child Rights Monitoring and Evaluation Board meeting in Ankara, Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said the government would review progress under its current action plan while outlining priorities for 2026-2030, with a particular focus on the opportunities and risks created by digital technologies.
“We have acted with a vision that recognizes and supports the potential of our children,” Göktaş noted. “We will continue implementing policies centered on the well-being and happiness of our children.”
She said the ministry was pursuing a policy framework aimed at making digital spaces safer for children while promoting digital literacy and responsible internet use. The government’s 2026-2030 Action Plan for Empowering Children in the Digital World entered into force in February through a presidential circular signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
According to Göktaş, the plan includes measures to improve safe internet use, strengthen digital literacy, increase awareness of online privacy, and ensure children have access to age-appropriate content. Authorities are also working with other public institutions to create what she described as a healthier digital ecosystem for children.
Göktaş said regulations covering social media platforms and online gaming services, which entered into force in April, marked “an important milestone” in improving children’s digital safety.
She said the ministry had spent more than a year developing a model tailored to Türkiye before introducing the framework.
Under the new rules, social media companies and gaming platforms are required to implement safeguards designed to protect children. The regulation establishes the basic framework for social media use by children under the age of 15 and requires platforms to provide separate, age-appropriate and more closely supervised digital environments for users between 15 and 18 years old.
“No digital service provider will be able to ignore children’s age, developmental level, privacy and safety,” Göktaş said, adding that social media networks and gaming platforms now have legal responsibilities to create child-friendly digital environments.
She said the government’s broader objective was to ensure digital platforms assume clear, effective and accountable responsibility for user safety, while emphasizing that protecting children online has become a shared global challenge requiring international cooperation in addition to national legislation.
Göktaş also highlighted implementation results under Türkiye’s 2023-2028 Child Rights Strategy Document and Action Plan.
She said authorities had achieved a 74% implementation rate in measures promoting child rights and participation, making children more visible in decision-making processes. Progress reached 82% in child-friendly justice initiatives, 75% in family and child-focused services, 92% in alternative care services, 67% in services for children affected by disasters and crises, and 80% in programs promoting safe internet use.
The minister added children had also been directly involved in shaping public policy. At a recent meeting of the Children’s Advisory Board, participants discussed the agenda for this year’s COP31 climate conference, examining the effects of climate change on children’s health, safety, education and future from their own perspective.
Describing the government’s “Family and Population Decade” initiative as an opportunity to strengthen family bonds, Göktaş said the coming years would focus on preparing children for the future through comprehensive family-centered policies while continuing to invest in the country’s human capital.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday dismissed Israel’s recognition of the 1915 events as so-called “genocide,” accusing the Israeli government of attempting to deflect attention from its violations in Gaza while reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities amid growing regional instability.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said Türkiye would not take seriously accusations from a government “whose hands are stained with the blood” of Palestinians, reiterating Ankara’s long-standing criticism of Israel’s genocidal conduct in Gaza.
“We do not give the slightest credence to the slander directed at our country by a criminal network whose hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza,” Erdoğan said, referring to Israel’s recent recognition of the 1915 events as “genocide.”
The president rejected allegations against Türkiye’s historical record, saying the country’s legacy was rooted in justice rather than oppression.
“There is neither genocide, nor massacres, nor oppression, nor colonialism in our history,” Erdoğan said. “Throughout our thousands of years of glorious history, there has been only justice and compassion. We have always extended a helping hand to the oppressed, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or identity.”
He added that those seeking to accuse Türkiye should instead examine their own history, arguing that attempts to target Ankara were aimed at diverting attention from Israel’s “barbarity in Gaza.”
Beyond foreign policy, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye was reinforcing its strategic capabilities in response to an increasingly uncertain global security environment and that the country was prepared for “all scenarios.”
“In a world where the principle of ‘survival of the strongest’ is becoming dominant, we are preparing ourselves for every possible scenario,” he said.
Highlighting advances in the country’s defense industry, Erdoğan said Türkiye has become the world’s 11th-largest defense exporter and is experiencing “the brightest period in its history” in naval shipbuilding.
He noted that Türkiye has exported more than 140 naval platforms worldwide and that more than 50 warships are currently under construction in Turkish shipyards.
Erdoğan also hailed the recent delivery of the domestically developed KAM-ROMAN corvette to the Romanian Navy, describing it as a milestone for Türkiye’s defense industry.
“For the first time in our history, we exported a warship to a NATO and European Union member state,” he said.
The president also highlighted Ankara’s growing ambitions in the space sector, saying Türkiye is among only 11 countries capable of producing its own communications satellites.
He said work was continuing on the IMECE-2 and IMECE-3 satellites, the Göktürk-Y and Göktürk-3 reconnaissance satellites, as well as the Türksat-7A communications satellite, which he said would further strengthen the country’s digital sovereignty and secure communications infrastructure.
“Those who have a footprint in space have a voice in the world,” Erdoğan said, arguing that investment in satellite technologies had become a strategic necessity rather than a choice.
Turning to the economy, Erdoğan said Türkiye achieved a record $395.9 billion in goods and services exports in 2025 and announced that the daily limit for rediscount loans available to exporters had been increased from TL 4.5 billion to TL 5 billion to support businesses.
He also welcomed the latest labor market data, noting that unemployment remained at 8.2% in May, marking the 37th consecutive month in which the rate has stayed in single digits despite what he described as global economic turbulence caused by wars and geopolitical crises.
Erdoğan concluded by calling for national unity and criticized opposition parties for what he described as divisive political rhetoric, saying the government would continue serving all citizens equally regardless of their ethnic, religious or social backgrounds.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Tuesday that Türkiye’s European Union membership remains a strategic objective as Turkish and EU officials stress their commitment to deepening cooperation across security, trade, migration and regional diplomacy during high-level talks in Ankara.
In a statement posted on X, Fidan said he was pleased to host European Commission Executive Vice President and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner in Ankara.
Reiterating Ankara’s long-standing position, Fidan said Türkiye remains committed to its goal of joining the European Union, describing membership as a strategic priority.
“We are ready to advance our relations with the European Union on this basis,” Fidan noted.
He also called on the bloc to move relations forward on the basis of objective criteria and merit, without discrimination.
The sides discussed the full spectrum of Türkiye-EU relations, including foreign policy, connectivity, trade, migration and visa-related issues, Fidan said.
In a joint statement released after the meeting, the sides underlined the strategic importance of Türkiye-EU relations in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment, referring to Türkiye’s status as an EU candidate country and emphasizing the partnership’s role in promoting regional stability and economic resilience.
According to the statement, the discussions covered areas of shared interest, including economic and trade cooperation, connectivity, migration, security, and foreign and security policy challenges. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit.
The officials also agreed on the importance of regional stability and good neighborly relations while exchanging views on a range of international issues, including the war in Ukraine, developments in Russia, the Middle East, Africa and the South Caucasus.
Regarding Cyprus, the parties expressed support for the efforts of the U.N. secretary-general to advance the settlement process. The EU side also reiterated the importance of strengthening the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights and maintaining high democratic standards within the framework of Türkiye’s accession process.
Türkiye and the EU reaffirmed their shared commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to pursuing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law. The statement noted that the EU side also stressed the importance of preventing the circumvention of EU sanctions by all states.
The two sides also agreed to coordinate complementary efforts aimed at promoting peace, prosperity and regional connectivity in the South Caucasus through concrete joint initiatives.
On security and defense, the officials emphasized the importance of enhancing dialogue and cooperation in a manner complementary to NATO.
The statement said both sides reaffirmed their determination to improve the implementation of the EU-Türkiye Customs Union while laying the groundwork for its long-discussed modernization. They also highlighted the importance of an inclusive and reciprocal industrial policy to strengthen the competitiveness and economic security of both Türkiye and the EU.
The officials agreed that Türkiye’s possible participation in the Single Euro Payments Area, or SEPA, would bring mutual benefits.
The meeting also included discussions on the state of the Visa Liberalization Dialogue and practical issues related to visa application and processing procedures for Turkish citizens, a longstanding concern for Ankara.
Migration remained another key topic, with both sides acknowledging common challenges arising from the current geopolitical landscape and its potential impact on population movements. They pledged to strengthen cooperation on border management and combating migrant smuggling.
The joint statement also highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation in trade, energy, transportation and digitalization within the broader regional connectivity agenda. The parties welcomed the gradual resumption of the European Investment Bank’s operations in Türkiye.
The officials agreed to reconvene before the end of the year for additional high-level dialogue meetings covering the economy, trade, migration and security, as well as health, science, innovation and agriculture, signaling a renewed effort to deepen engagement despite persistent differences over some political issues.
The delegation was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier on Tuesday and also held talks with other top officials, including Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın discussed strengthening security and intelligence cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq during talks with Iraqi officials, according to statements released Tuesday.
Iraqi President Nizar Amedi received Kalın, head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), in the capital Baghdad, the Iraqi Presidency’s press office said in a written statement.
The meeting at the Iraqi Presidency addressed regional and international developments, as well as efforts to strengthen cooperation between Iraq and Türkiye in security and intelligence, the statement said.
Amedi said dialogue and mutual understanding are essential to resolving crises and stressed the importance of joint efforts to protect shared security against cross-border threats and create a more stable environment in the region.
Kalın said Türkiye is determined to maintain coordination and cooperation with Iraq in all fields, adding that Ankara aims to further develop working mechanisms between the relevant institutions of the two neighboring countries.
As part of his talks in Baghdad, Kalın also met with Faiq Zaidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council.
According to a written statement from the council, the meeting focused on counterterrorism files related to threats to regional security, as well as improving intelligence and information sharing.
Kalın also met with National Security Adviser Basim al-Badri in Baghdad.
He later held talks with Mohammed al-Halbousi, leader of the Taqaddum Party. According to a statement from Halbousi’s press office, the meeting addressed regional and international developments, as well as ways to improve Iraq-Türkiye relations, particularly in the field of security.
The sides also stressed the importance of supporting the new Iraqi government’s efforts to track fugitives wanted on corruption charges who are abroad and secure their extradition to Iraq.
Kalın also discussed improving security cooperation between Iraq and Türkiye with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi.
According to a statement from the Iraqi Parliament Speaker’s press office, the meeting covered regional and international developments.
The sides reviewed ways to enhance cooperation between Iraq and Türkiye, particularly in security, and discussed mechanisms that would serve the common interests of the two countries while supporting regional security and stability.
Kirkuk visit
Kalın also visited the Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Wednesday, where he inspected the historic Kirkuk Citadel.
He was welcomed at Kirkuk International Airport by Kirkuk Governor and Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) President Mohammed Saman Agha.
Kalın’s first stop in the city was Kirkuk Citadel, where he carried out inspections and visited the Turkish martyrs’ cemetery.
He later visited the ITC headquarters and met with Turkmen officials.
Kalın also held talks with Saman Agha at the Kirkuk Governor’s Office.
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